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Rachel Schell-Lambert Rachel Schell-Lambert is offline
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Default How do I know my starter is bad

On Sunday, October 19, 2014 5:34:20 PM UTC-4, graham wrote:
> On 19/10/2014 2:08 PM, Andr�s Hidalgo Acu�a wrote:
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> >>>

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> >>

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> >> I've had occasion to think that mine has died but after discarding most

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> >>

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> >> of it, after 2-3 feedings, it has revived. I keep mine at ~60% hydration

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> >>

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> >> and sometimes leave it for 2 months before feeding it. The first feeding

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> >>

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> >> then might be a bit sluggish but the second is usually vigorous.

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> >>

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> >> It wouldn't take too long to start a new one. While you are building up

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> >> the strength, add the discarded part to a yeast-raised dough to add flavour.

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> >> Graham

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> >

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> > Hi,

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> > Thanks for replying

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> > I've already completed three feedings and still no activity.

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> > Cheers from Venezuela.

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> >

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> > A.-

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> >

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> Then I think you must start again. Use whole-wheat flour with a little
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> rye flour to start with and then feed with white. Alternatively, send
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> for this, although it might be awkward for you in Venezuela:
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> http://carlsfriends.net/
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> Graham (in Canada)


You might want to try waiting a little longer between feedings, and/or discard almost all the old starter and feed with lots of new flour and warm water and leave it alone for a little longer (at 75-80 degreesF). Also, no activity is rare if you're leaving it out with a cloth covering it--you want air to pass through, but not bugs or dirt. Something will cause activity, either the inherent starter culture or the wild yeast in the environment (all sourdough starters take on the culture of their environment). So maybe leave it for a while. If still nothing, then I'd wonder about the water you're using--is it heavily chlorinated? That might be killing the natural yeast. Try filtered water if you're not sure.

I keep my starter in a straight-sided tall glass jar and after I feed it, I put a rubber band around the jar at the level of the culture to remind myself where it was. Then I can see later that it has or hasn't risen--if I'm lucky I catch it when it's above the level of the band, or else there are remnants of when the culture had been there earlier in the day. Sometimes we just don't see it at its high point!

Suerte!
Rachel (USA)