Weak Starter Help Needed
 

I have a starter that I made from scratch here in Southern California a
couple of years ago. It is OK but the wild yeast doesn't seem to have much
oomph. The bread tastes great but I am not getting the rise I would like.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to boost the leavening power of our
apparently weak LA wild yeast?

I have considered adding a small amount of commercial yeast to the bread
when I make it but I figure it would burn itself out while the bread proofs
for 12 hours or so. I have considered adding sugar to the starter itself
but don't know if that would really help. I have even considered adding a
tiny bit of commercial yeast to the starter but I'm afraid it would
eventually take over and then I would not really have the good sourdough
taste.

Anyone have any bright ideas for me? Thanks for the help

Dennis

Weak Starter Help Needed
 

DENNIS ALEXANDER wrote:
> I have a starter that I made from scratch here in Southern California a
> couple of years ago. It is OK but the wild yeast doesn't seem to have much
> oomph. The bread tastes great but I am not getting the rise I would like.
> Does anyone have any ideas on how to boost the leavening power of our
> apparently weak LA wild yeast?

This brings up the old story where the critters come from - LA or where
your flour is coming from.

In any case - the symptom you describe: low rising performance can have
many causes. Let's maybe leave your dough making part out and stick with
the starter for now.

How do you grow your starter, how do you keep it, what are the parameters:

- initial inoculation (where kept, for how long, consistency)
- how much do you add - water, flour (what flour?)
- how do you keep that - temperature, time?

- do you repeat that, maybe with variations - i. e. do you have more stages?

The idea of growing a starter is to get good performance - meaning high
germ counts when you make the dough. Apparently you are not getting this.

Once you write some more about your starter, your recipe for making
bread could be looked at as well.

> I have considered adding a small amount of commercial yeast to the bread
> when I make it but I figure it would burn itself out while the bread proofs
> for 12 hours or so.

That appears long and if it does not rise much after that time, that
could be a reason as well.

> I have considered adding sugar to the starter itself
> but don't know if that would really help. I have even considered adding a
> tiny bit of commercial yeast to the starter but I'm afraid it would
> eventually take over and then I would not really have the good sourdough
> taste.

The commercial yeast does not keep well. If it would be so, nobody would
buy it.

You can start tinkering with all kinds of additions. Regular bread flour
has already probably ascorbic acid and malted barley flour. But missing
additions are probably not the underlying reason for your experience.

You may find, once you get your starter trip together that you don't
need much more.

Samartha