Wild Sourdough Starter Never gets more than 1/3 bigger - Am I doing something wrong?
I made a wild sourdough starter back in July of last year. Did some baking with it, but it has never doubled in size the way that I see described in articles online.
I initially started it with all-purpose flour and aired-out tap water, but I've moved it to Bread Flour and Spring water. At best, I'll see it increase in volume by roughly 1/3.
I keep the Sourdough Starter in a pair of Ball Wide-Mouth pint jars, and feed the starter twice per day. The method I've been following for the past month has been:
- Stir the sourdough starter thoroughly.
- Pour 2 oz (56g) by weight from the old jar to the new jar.
- Add 2 oz of spring water by weight to the new jar. Stir thoroughly.
- Add 2 oz of Gold Medal bread flour by weight. Stir thoroughly.
- Mark time and initial level on new jar.
- Cover with two coffee filters, and screw the lid rim on to hold them there, and allow for outgassing.
- Lay the lid insert on top to reduce drying.
- Wash the old jar to get it ready for use as the new jar in the next feeding
Temperatures in the apartment are typically about 75-80°F by day, 80-85 by night. Starter typically peaks in 8-12 hours,
These images were taken a few weeks ago, after about 8 hours after feeding, when the starter was peaking. The black line is the original level after mixing, and the blue line is at about the peak. As I said, I've never seen my starter increase in volume by more than a third.
Why isn't my starter doubling or tripling? Am I doing something wrong? Could I remedy this?
Best Answer
Your starter is at 100% hydration. It's a thick liquid, not a springy dough. As bubbles of carbon dioxide form, they're free to combine into larger bubbles, rise to the surface, and pop. So the volume isn't going to increase much. The peak volume will additionally be significantly impacted by the temperature and the type of flour. And a starter not growing in volume is not strong evidence that bread dough made with it will not grow in volume.
If you want to check on starter activity, look for bubbles at and near the surface. But really, the best way to maintain a starter is to have a regular feeding schedule and somewhat consistent conditions. Then it isn't so much a matter of measurement, as it is one of being confident in your process.
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Why is my sourdough starter not doubling in size?
If your starter is not doubling or growing substantially in volume between feedings, it is not strong enough to leaven dough. You can certainly try baking, but you most likely will not achieve proper fermentation.How much should sourdough starter expand?
When your starter is reliably rising to double or triple its size and falling in the jar anywhere between 4-8 hours after you feed it (dependent on your ambient conditions and the flour you feed with) it is ready to bake with. When the starter is at the peak of its rise, it is called ripe, fed, or mature.What percentage should a sourdough starter be?
WeightIngredientBaker's Percentage201.5gWhole wheat flour20.00%765.5gWater76.00%19.1gSalt1.90%8.1gSourdough starter0.80%1 more row•Apr 22, 2020Should sourdough starter double or triple in size?
You can scale this up or down as you please, maintaining a 1:2:2 ratio of sourdough starter, water, and flour. The starter should rise to double or triple in size within 8 hours if it is healthy \u2013 and often quicker, especially in the summer months!HOW TO FIX YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER | Troubleshooting common issues
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: olia danilevich, olia danilevich, Jill Wellington, Yan Krukov