False rise due to bacteria. The yeast will win the battle in the end, keep feeding it
Emotional-Gur5680
There are dangerous bacteria present at this point. You are weeks away from having a usable starter.
oatmilkandagave
Yes. There are a million posts about it.
Also don’t use cloth to cover your jar.
Artistic-Traffic-112
Hi yes this is the early bacterial flush.
Your starter goes through three phases of development that take between two and four weeks depending on the conditions and flour used.
Phase one : daily feeds
The initial flour water mix is 1:1 by weight. (( Flour weighs approximately half as much as water for the same volume) you would need twice as much flour by volume than water.) IMO, it is best to use strong white bread flour mixed with either whole wheat or rye, all organic unbleached. There will be a quite rapid false rise or fermentation as the bacteria battle for supremacy! Best not use the ‘discard’.
You do not need much starter. 15g of flour is ample. Reduce your starter each feed to 15g, after mixing thoroughly. Then feed 1:1:1, mix and scrape down inside of jar with a rubber spatula. Avoid using a fabric cloth to wipe they are prone to harbouring contaminants. Place a screw top lid on your jar, loosely. And maintain a culture of 25 to 27 ° C
Phase two: daily feeds as above
The starter goes flat. The bacteria are altering the acidity of the medium to suit their growth and development. The ‘good’ bacteria will win they like an acidic environment. So, to do the yeast strains. They will gradually wake up and start to develop, creating a less violent but more sustained rise.
Phase three: demand feeds peak to peak
This is where the yeast really begins to develop. They have to grow and mature before they can multiply and grow in number. Gradually, your starter will gain vigour and will double in volume more rapidly. Once it is doubling in under four hours over several feeds, you are good to use it for baking.
After each feed, the culture takes some time to redevelop the vigour to ferment and start to muliply once more it quite rapidly develops maximum potential around 100 % rise but then gradually slows as food density begins to diminish. And it finally peaks and starts to fall. At peak, the rise becomes static with a dome like undulating creamy surface. As it starts to fall due to escaping gas, it becomes slack and concave in the centre. This is the point at which to mix, reduce, and feed. Or further on when it has fully fallen.
Starter maintenance: I keep just 45 grams in the fridge between bakes (approximately once per week). When I want to bake, I pull out the starter, let it warm, mix it thoroughly, and then feed it 1:1:1. I take out 120g for my levain, leaving me 15g to feed 1:1:1 again , and after a rest period while it starts to rise I put it straight back in the fridge for the next bake.
Happy baking and Merry Christmas
morenci-girl
It can happen, but it’s not ready to be used.
IMAGINARIAN_photos
This is known as “bacterial fight club.”
“Bacterial fight club in sourdough starters refers to the chaotic early days (around days 3-10) when diverse microbes from flour and water battle for dominance, causing a big rise (false peak) followed by a sudden, discouraging “death” or inactivity, but it’s actually a sign that the good yeasts and Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are winning and establishing the stable community needed for flavorful bread. You must keep feeding it during this “dormant” period so the beneficial microbes can take over and create a strong, reliable starter.”
ciopobbi
Bacterial fight club. Not a starter yet.
grayh722
not ready! & put a real lid on that or you’re going to grow mold
8 Comments
False rise due to bacteria. The yeast will win the battle in the end, keep feeding it
There are dangerous bacteria present at this point. You are weeks away from having a usable starter.
Yes. There are a million posts about it.
Also don’t use cloth to cover your jar.
Hi yes this is the early bacterial flush.
Your starter goes through three phases of development that take between two and four weeks depending on the conditions and flour used.
Phase one : daily feeds
The initial flour water mix is 1:1 by weight. (( Flour weighs approximately half as much as water for the same volume) you would need twice as much flour by volume than water.) IMO, it is best to use strong white bread flour mixed with either whole wheat or rye, all organic unbleached. There will be a quite rapid false rise or fermentation as the bacteria battle for supremacy! Best not use the ‘discard’.
You do not need much starter. 15g of flour is ample. Reduce your starter each feed to 15g, after mixing thoroughly. Then feed 1:1:1, mix and scrape down inside of jar with a rubber spatula. Avoid using a fabric cloth to wipe they are prone to harbouring contaminants. Place a screw top lid on your jar, loosely. And maintain a culture of 25 to 27 ° C
Phase two: daily feeds as above
The starter goes flat. The bacteria are altering the acidity of the medium to suit their growth and development. The ‘good’ bacteria will win they like an acidic environment. So, to do the yeast strains. They will gradually wake up and start to develop, creating a less violent but more sustained rise.
Phase three: demand feeds peak to peak
This is where the yeast really begins to develop. They have to grow and mature before they can multiply and grow in number. Gradually, your starter will gain vigour and will double in volume more rapidly. Once it is doubling in under four hours over several feeds, you are good to use it for baking.
After each feed, the culture takes some time to redevelop the vigour to ferment and start to muliply once more it quite rapidly develops maximum potential around 100 % rise but then gradually slows as food density begins to diminish. And it finally peaks and starts to fall. At peak, the rise becomes static with a dome like undulating creamy surface. As it starts to fall due to escaping gas, it becomes slack and concave in the centre. This is the point at which to mix, reduce, and feed. Or further on when it has fully fallen.
Starter maintenance: I keep just 45 grams in the fridge between bakes (approximately once per week). When I want to bake, I pull out the starter, let it warm, mix it thoroughly, and then feed it 1:1:1. I take out 120g for my levain, leaving me 15g to feed 1:1:1 again , and after a rest period while it starts to rise I put it straight back in the fridge for the next bake.
Happy baking and Merry Christmas
It can happen, but it’s not ready to be used.
This is known as “bacterial fight club.”
“Bacterial fight club in sourdough starters refers to the chaotic early days (around days 3-10) when diverse microbes from flour and water battle for dominance, causing a big rise (false peak) followed by a sudden, discouraging “death” or inactivity, but it’s actually a sign that the good yeasts and Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are winning and establishing the stable community needed for flavorful bread. You must keep feeding it during this “dormant” period so the beneficial microbes can take over and create a strong, reliable starter.”
Bacterial fight club. Not a starter yet.
not ready! & put a real lid on that or you’re going to grow mold