Spent 4 hours trying to get my sourdough starter to double in size

Honestly, I thought I had this sourdough thing down after a week of feeding it, but it just refused to double. I kept tweaking the water temp, the flour type, even the jar I used, and nothing worked for three days straight. Then I realized my kitchen was too cold, around 65 degrees, so I moved it to the top of the fridge where it's warmer. It took 4 hours of waiting after that shift to finally see that rise. Has anyone else had a starter that just sits there for no obvious reason? What's your trick for forcing that rise?

2 comments

2 Comments

fox.jesse1mo ago

That fridge top trick is a lifesaver, for sure. My own starter went through a weird phase where it would bubble like crazy but never actually rise, and I thought I'd ruined it after a month of daily feedings. Turned out my tap water had enough chlorine to kill the yeast activity, and switching to filtered water did the trick overnight. Also, I've found that a pinch of rye flour in the feed can really wake up a sluggish starter even if you normally use all-purpose, it's like caffeine for the little guys. So your mileage may vary, but maybe check your water source if the warmer spot doesn't solve it completely. I remember one time I left mine on a radiator by accident and it doubled in under an hour, but that felt a bit too aggressive, you know?

martin.jamie1mo ago

Ugh yes, the cold kitchen got me too... moved mine to the top of the fridge and it finally woke up.

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