Tom wrote:

Thanks for the reply, Joe.
When you say 60% hydration on the starter, do you mean that you add 60%
water and 40% flour each time you feed it?

See, I said I was a newbee.... )

Tom
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++
Tom

I see you are getting lots of good information.

Like Mick said the 60% is barkers % were the flour in the recipe is 100% of
itself so if the recipe calls for 100 grams . flour / by 100 is 100%
If recpie calls for 60% water that would be 100 grams. x .60 = 6 grams.
water which is 60% the weight of the flour. The salt would be 2% or 100
x .02 - 2 grams. salt.

I use a scales which make baking easy but not necessary.
I fine weight more precise,or easy to understand the relationship between
two items in the recipe.

For starter I keep going all the time my recipe:

Item Weight Backers%
starter from last mix 8 grams 36.36%
water 12 grams 54.54%
Flour 22 grams 100.00%
Total Starter 42 grams 190.90%

So if you want 42 grams starter you would divide 42 by 190.90 and you would
get 22 grams which would be the amount of flour you would need for the
recipe, then multiply this number "22" by .5454 for the weight of the water
and .3636 for the weight of the yeast ferment from the last starter. this
would be 60% hydrated starter.

Using this recipe and feeding twice a day you will use 308 grams of flour a
week or .6799 lbs. of flour a week @ $2.00 for 5 lbs . of flour your cost
would be $.27 a week for your hobby.

1.) The morning before I bake I feed 11 grams 45% of proof starter,
16 grams 61% water
25 grams 100% flour
52 grams 206% total starter

2.) Evening before I bake I feed 52 grams 17% of proof starter
166 grams 55% water
300 grams 100% flour
518 grams 172% total starter

3.) Morning of bake I mix for 3 minutes 905 grams 57% water
318 grams 20% whole wheat flour
1270grams 80% bread flour

4. )Rest 20 minutes

5.) Add and mix 8 minutes 508 grams 38% proof yeast starter
38 grams 2.4% slat
3040 grams 197.4% total dough

6.) After mix dived, round up, proof @ 88 deg. for 60 minutes

7.) Stretch and fold, proof @ 88 deg. for 50 minutes

8.) Stretch and fold, proof @ 88 deg. for 40 minutes

9.) Shape loafs proof @ 88 deg. for 2~3 hours

10.) Cut tops

11.) Bake @ 440 deg. for 44~48 minutes

*note: You will see I use 508 grams of starter in step (5) which is 10 grams
less then total statter in steep (3). This is because you will use the 10
grams of extra starter to keep your starter which you keep growing all the
time.

Enjoy, Joe Umstead