Managing a new, overactive sourdough starter

I began growing a sourdough starter a couple days ago. Things are going very well so far! Too well, in fact; my sourdough starter achieves 2-3x its deflated size in less than 12 hours.

My research tells me that this is not a capital-P Problem. It does not have an odd smell, and has none of the worrying off-colors. It sounds like I have a good, incredibly active starter in a warmish climate, and that with repeated feeding things will even out as the bacteria die off, the yeast takes over, and the starter reaches maturity. All I need is time.

All that said: what is the best keep this starter from overgrowing its container while in this unstable, infant stage? Is it okay to stir/deflate it when it grows too large between feedings? Should I try to reduce its temperature?

baking sourdough-starter

Best Answer

Sourdough starters perform best in the 70 - 80F (21 - 26.5C) range. Warmer will, of course, speed things up....cooler will slow them down. Over time, your starter will conform to your environment. In fact, this is an interesting element of starters. As different environments can create different flavors. I would suggest a larger container, or a smaller amount of starter until things stabilize, and you come to understand how your starter performs. You can easily adjust the quantity. It's all proportional. I keep a very small amount of already established starter alive and in the refrigerator, like maybe 1/4 cup. Then, when I want to bake, I remove it from the fridge, and take a couple of days to scale things up to the amount I want to use.

Pictures about "Managing a new, overactive sourdough starter"

Managing a new, overactive sourdough starter - Sliced Fruit on White Ceramic Plate

Managing a new, overactive sourdough starter - Top view of bowl with yummy noodle soup with greens and golden spoon placed on rumpled linen cloth on marble table

Managing a new, overactive sourdough starter - Focused young businesswoman in gray coat standing on busy street with folders and having conversation on mobile phone

What do I do if my sourdough starter is too active?

And what that's going to do is, the fridge will suck some of the heat off of them and it's going to slow the fermentation down. And then after that point, cover it for the rest of its stay. If you do that, and start feeding your starter a little less aggressively, I think you're on your way.

Why is my sourdough starter rising and falling so fast?

Your kitchen may be too warm. Higher ambient temperatures speed up fermentation, and your starter will basically run through the food source too fast. Sourdough starters are like us \u2013 they like a temperate climate! Try keeping your starter somewhere around 65-75\xb0F if possible, and see if this makes a difference.

Can a sourdough starter be over active?

It is common for a sourdough starter to have a surge in activity those first few days and then die down. This is normal and the results of another type of bacteria build up, not an indication that your starter is dead.

How do you save an overfed sourdough starter?

Put it away in the fridge. Finally, after this feed has softened (which is generally after a few days to a week in the fridge), add some more flour. This time, the starter will be quite soft, and the flour will go in more easily than it might have a few days ago.

Over-Active Sourdough Starter | Proof Bread

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Jill Wellington, Sebastian Coman Photography, Karolina Grabowska, Sora Shimazaki