Sourdough starter - when do you give up?

I'm on Day 14 for my sourdough starter and can't get it to work. I had a half inch rise on Day 3 and nothing since then. I am using 1:1:1 with the flour component being made up of half whole wheat and half all purpose.

I leave my water out overnight in case of chlorine, and I noted that at room temperature, the batter is at about 68 degrees. In the oven with the light on, it gets up to about 82 degrees.

I had been feeding it twice a day, but was advised to back off to once a day until I see some activity. At best though, all I see are a few bubbles as shown here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pEe3Su9dwizMnPyM9

I can't find rye flour at the moment (covid scarcity).

Any suggestions from you more experienced chefs? Or should I give up on this batch and start over? I'm wondering when to give up on this two week old potential starter.

Many thanks! Wendy

Best Answer

Typically you can begin to give up at around day 5-7. (Especially if you've taken an aggressive feeding schedule.)

With an aggressive feeding schedule (2-3 times daily), you should begin to see bubbling and sour notes by day three (and is a good indicator for collecting the Lactobacillus bacteria).

Ref: Full Proof Baking

By Day 5, I typically give up if there's no rise or sour notes.

There's two common factors that make sourdough fermentation difficult.

the Type of flour

If you use plain/white, there's not enough nutrients - so adding rye, ground cereal, or anything with whole grains will help.
The water quality

Chlorine or other chemicals might be present in your source, so getting a tap filter and boiling/resting the water will assist.

Summary:
- try increasing the feeding cycles until you get the sour notes, keep note of the water/flour until you get some smell/reaction.

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Quick Answer about "Sourdough starter - when do you give up?"

Typically you can begin to give up at around day 5-7. (Especially if you've taken an aggressive feeding schedule.) With an aggressive feeding schedule (2-3 times daily), you should begin to see bubbling and sour notes by day three (and is a good indicator for collecting the Lactobacillus bacteria).

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it?

No. Once your starter is established, all of it goes into your baked goods! And even when you're building up a starter, the part you discard can still be used. It doesn't have to be wasted at all!

How long after feeding sourdough starter can I use it?

Starter takes time to eat through the sugars and starches in the flour, and it hasn't yet had enough time to become active. This is why it is recommended to wait between 4 and 12 hours before using the starter in your bread recipe.

Sourdough starter - when do you give up?

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Pictures about "Sourdough starter - when do you give up?"

Quick Answer about "Sourdough starter - when do you give up?"

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it?

How long after feeding sourdough starter can I use it?

Understanding Sourdough Starter | feeding, ratios, leaven, when to use, what to feed

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Sourdough starter - when do you give up?

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Pictures about "Sourdough starter - when do you give up?"

Quick Answer about "Sourdough starter - when do you give up?"

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it?

How long after feeding sourdough starter can I use it?

Understanding Sourdough Starter | feeding, ratios, leaven, when to use, what to feed

More answers regarding sourdough starter - when do you give up?

Answer 2

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