Hi Avery, is it possible that your starter is rising and falling while you're not looking? Is there any evidence of water marks that might indicate the starter has collapsed? Often at the end of the rising and falling cycle the starter will have lots of small bubbles on the top, but will have collapsed close to the level it was when you first fed it. Especially if you're keeping your starter in a warm spot, it's possible that the peak may be coming while you're sleeping or at work. If this is the case, you may find it helpful to shift the ratio of ingredients a bit, so that your starter contains a smaller percentage of starter as compared to flour and water. For example, you could try a 1:1:1 ratio of starter:flour:water, instead of the 2:1:1 ratio that Martin recommends. This should slow down fermentation a bit. You could also use cooler water to feed your starter, and/or put it in a slightly cooler spot. There are lots of ways to maintain a healthy starter, but you want to be able to keep up with fermentation and catch the starter at it's peak of rising when you add it to a recipe, so slowing down fermentation can be helpful. Barb

• Reply