My sourdough starter was too weak to rise a heavy rye loaf

I tried feeding it twice a day for a week, but it still fell flat. Then I switched from tap water to bottled water from the grocery store and kept it at a steady 78 degrees in my oven with the light on. The difference after just two days was huge, and my next loaf had a perfect open crumb. What's your go-to method for boosting a sluggish starter?

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3 Comments

karenb975mo ago

That switch to bottled water is a total game changer, the chlorine in tap water can really mess with the microbes. My go-to for a weak starter is a little whole wheat or rye flour mixed into the feed, just a spoonful. It gives them more to work with. Also, letting it get good and hungry between feeds, like a full 24 hours, seems to build more strength. A warm spot is key too, exactly like you did. Sometimes they just need that perfect combo to wake back up.

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phoenix_lewis5mo ago

Actually, letting it get too hungry can weaken it.

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caseythompson5mo ago

Totally get the bottled water thing. My old apartment had such bad pipes the tap water smelled like a pool, lol. Ended up using those big jugs for everything, even coffee. Made a huge difference with my sourdough too, it stopped being so sluggish. Funny how the little changes can fix what seems like a big problem.

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