A bakery tour in Portland made me rethink my sourdough starter schedule

I visited a small bakery called The Crusty Owl last month where the head baker told me she only feeds her starter once a week and keeps it in a cooler. I've always done daily feeds at room temp. She says her way builds more complex flavor, but I worry about it being strong enough. Has anyone else tried a weekly feed cycle and had good results?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake_martin162mo ago

Wait, you're worried about strength? I had the same fear when I switched to a weekly fridge schedule. My starter took about three bakes to really wake up and get strong again, but the flavor got way deeper, like more tangy and almost fruity. I feed it right before it goes in the fridge and it's been super reliable. Maybe give it a trial run for a month and see how your loaves turn out.

blairwhite2mo ago

So what's the hydration level of her starter? A stiffer starter kept cold can sometimes handle longer between feeds better than a really wet one.

nathan_webb1mo agoTop Commenter

Oh man, that's a really good point I hadn't considered. I've been keeping mine pretty wet and it definitely gets sluggish faster.