I'm using the Farmhouse on Boone recipe, with one cup flour (AP) and one cup water to feed it. It's been a week, it's doubling in size each day and has some bubbles. However about half the time there is maybe a finger of liquid on the top. Should I pour off, stir in, drink (jk)? Our house is cool, around 63 degrees. Thanks all!
Making a sourdough starter, liquid on the top
- Thread starter dwdanby
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Hooch: liquid that forms on top AFTER starter has risen, bubbled a lot, and has fallen. It means it needs to be fed.
Water separation: liquid forms within the starter BEFORE it rises. It means it is weak.
That is so helpful, thank you! "weak" as in it's normal and growing stronger, or as in something needs to change?
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pour the water off and ditch it,
if you're just repleneshing , dump half the sour and replace with more water and flour.
Do it daily if possible, it takes a few days to develop, after 2 weeks of constant feeding it will really develop well and make goodt sourdough bread.
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How is your starter going?
I'm a sourdough bread baker and teach many folks and the ingredients caught my attention. Normally, one uses equal grams, not volume measurements when making a starter and feeding it.
Say your starter called for 60 grams of water and 60 grams of flour, that's 1/2 cup of flour and only 1/4 cup of water.
That might have caused excess liquid to build up. As you feed, measure out your starter, and add equal grams of water and flour, stir and let rise till peaked. A healthy starter can eventually grow acidic so feeding 1:5:5, one part starter, five parts water, and five parts flour is a great way to give it a boost! I do that about once a month. I hope it's gotten started well for you, and you've started baking loaves!
I'm a sourdough bread baker and teach many folks and the ingredients caught my attention. Normally, one uses equal grams, not volume measurements when making a starter and feeding it.
Say your starter called for 60 grams of water and 60 grams of flour, that's 1/2 cup of flour and only 1/4 cup of water.
That might have caused excess liquid to build up. As you feed, measure out your starter, and add equal grams of water and flour, stir and let rise till peaked. A healthy starter can eventually grow acidic so feeding 1:5:5, one part starter, five parts water, and five parts flour is a great way to give it a boost! I do that about once a month. I hope it's gotten started well for you, and you've started baking loaves!