I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
encountered this problem:

None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.

These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.

Any guidance welcome.

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>encountered this problem:
>
>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>
>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>
>Any guidance welcome.


Are the starters themselves showing activity when refreshed?

Boron

That's the whole problem -- when refreshed, nothing happens. The starter is
simply an inert mass of water and flour.



"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>encountered this problem:
>
>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>
>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>
>Any guidance welcome.


Are the starters themselves showing activity when refreshed?

Boron

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:37:07 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>That's the whole problem -- when refreshed, nothing happens. The starter is
>simply an inert mass of water and flour.

Then my guess is that a change in temp or flour or water killed off
everything you're looking for. Odd things happen, but if all 4 died at
the same time, it is time to start over with fresh flour and carefully
scrubbed containers.

Boron



>"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
.. .
>
>On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:
>
>>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>>encountered this problem:
>>
>>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>>
>>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
>>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>>
>>Any guidance welcome.
>
>
>Are the starters themselves showing activity when refreshed?
>
>Boron

But nothing at all has changed. Same temperature, same flour, same water,
same everything. It's almost as if some strange disease struck.



"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:37:07 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>That's the whole problem -- when refreshed, nothing happens. The starter is
>simply an inert mass of water and flour.

Then my guess is that a change in temp or flour or water killed off
everything you're looking for. Odd things happen, but if all 4 died at
the same time, it is time to start over with fresh flour and carefully
scrubbed containers.

Boron



>"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
.. .
>
>On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:
>
>>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>>encountered this problem:
>>
>>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>>
>>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week
>>ago
>>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>>
>>Any guidance welcome.
>
>
>Are the starters themselves showing activity when refreshed?
>
>Boron

It can't possible be someone throwing out the starters. I can still smell
the alcohol on a couple of the older ones.

We have had a good deal of rain and humidity in the past few days, but that
hasn't been a problem in the past.

Also, a couple of weeks ago we put in a new air-conditioning system which
keeps the apartment cooler and drier, but I've made certain the starters are
in a warm environment.

This is a real mystery.



"John John" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 18:07:41 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>But nothing at all has changed. Same temperature, same flour, same water,
>same everything. It's almost as if some strange disease struck.

Maybe someone threw out your starters, realized their mistake and
quickly put back some flour and water so you wouldn't notice.

John

>"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
.. .
>
>On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:37:07 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:
>
>>That's the whole problem -- when refreshed, nothing happens. The starter
>>is
>>simply an inert mass of water and flour.
>
>Then my guess is that a change in temp or flour or water killed off
>everything you're looking for. Odd things happen, but if all 4 died at
>the same time, it is time to start over with fresh flour and carefully
>scrubbed containers.
>
>Boron
>
>
>
>>"Boron Elgar" wrote in message
. ..
>>
>>On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:
>>
>>>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>>>encountered this problem:
>>>
>>>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>>>
>>>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week
>>>ago
>>>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>>>
>>>Any guidance welcome.
>>
>>
>>Are the starters themselves showing activity when refreshed?
>>
>>Boron

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 19:22:56 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>It can't possible be someone throwing out the starters. I can still smell
>the alcohol on a couple of the older ones.
>
>We have had a good deal of rain and humidity in the past few days, but that
>hasn't been a problem in the past.
>
>Also, a couple of weeks ago we put in a new air-conditioning system which
>keeps the apartment cooler and drier, but I've made certain the starters are
>in a warm environment.
>
>This is a real mystery.

If you have made unsuccessful attempts to refresh all 4 starters, and
all 4 have failed simultaneously, either they were simultaneously
contaminated with a critter that overwhelmed the balance of what was
there and established, or something killed them off altogether.

Do keep in mind that warmth has the potential to do more damage than
cold to a starter, and that they a starter, and can easily be kept in
the fridge in between refreshments, once established.

You may never know what did it. Sad as the loss is, you have to get
going on creating a new starter if you want to keep baking, and if you
are a person such as myself, who keeps multiple starters around, I am
betting you bake with some frequency.

Boron

On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>encountered this problem:
>
>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>
>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>
>Any guidance welcome.

The only possible factor I can think of is the water. Maybe
they increased the chlorine levels ? Try mineral water.
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

Did you or how much yeast did you put in and how warm is the room and
what did you put the starter in


On Sat, 8 Sep 2012 16:40:48 -0400, "Ray"
> wrote:

>I've been making sourdough for many years and this is the first time I've
>encountered this problem:
>
>None of my four starters will proof. They just lie there as if dead.
>
>These have not been neglected. I used two of them as recently as a week ago
>to make bread, and they responded exactly as always.
>
>Any guidance welcome.