On Dec 29, 9:48 am, "Will" > wrote:
>>Whole grain breads behave a bit differently than all purpose or bread
> flour breads. For one thing, they hydrate a lot more slowly. So they
> seem to be wet (and are indeed wet) until the bran eventually absorbs
> this "loose" water. So you were correct to observe this "wetness" but
> perhaps too quick in correcting it.
>
> One thing to always keep in mind is pace. When you're in SD mode...
> take your time <g>.

That's for sure. To refresh/reactivate the starter and make a loaf of
bread without staying up all night I have to have my wife put in the
flour and water to reactivate the dough before I get home so I can
start making bread as soon as I get home.

Also, I've noticed that unless you make Mike Avery's Blueberry
Sourdough muffins on a regular basis to use up some starter (although
I'm sure there are other good uses I haven't found yet) or you make
about three loaves of bread at a time you are always going to have more
starter after you make one loaf of bread than you did before you made
it because it took more water and flour to reactivate the starter than
the amount of starter you used in your recipe.