Hi Shannon, I hope your starter journey has continued to be successful! If all goes according to plan it takes about 5-7 days for the starter to begin rising predictably, and feeding through day 10 will allow the starter to develop to full maturity. While you can start baking with it as soon as it's rising predictably, the extra few days of twice a day feedings will help fully deveolop the flavor profile, with different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) joining the team a bit later in the game. Microbiologist and sourdough baker, Debra Wink says, "One more thing I have found is that with regular feeding at room temperature, new starters seem to improve and get more fragrant right around the two week mark. Maybe this coincides with the appearance of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis mentioned previously, or another highly adapted sourdough species." So, you're probably not ready for refrigeration yet, but hopefully your starter is rising well and you're able to continue feeding it twice a day at room temperature for a few more days. If you're worried about your flour supply, you could consider maintaining a smaller sourdough starter. And sometimes things don't go according to plan and it can take longer for the starter to begin rising and performing as it should. If this is the case, let us know and we'll be happy to help troubleshoot! 

Barb

• Reply