Hi Sarah, it would be helpful to know a little more about your starter process, and what size jar you have it stored it. For our sourdough starter recipe a wide mouth quart sized Mason jar works well for observing the type of rising behavior we describe, but if you have your starter stored in a larger container, or are maintaining your starter with a different ratio of ingredients (our recipe is equal parts by weight of starter, water and flour), you may not be able to see the same kind of rise. Is it possible you're feeding with equal parts by volume? If, for example, you feed 1/2 cup of starter with a 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of flour, this would result in a much more liquidy starter that wouldn't be able to display the same kind of rising behavior. This is because a thinner starter can't hold the fermentation bubbles in place (which is what causes the starter to rise). With thinner starters the fermention bubbles tend to pass through the starter and collect on the surface. If this isn't the issue, then I would also encourage you to allow your starter a few hours to ferment after you feed it and before you put it in the refrigerator. Feeding a starter and sticking it right in the refrigerator may result in maintaining a starter that is mostly composed of unfermented flour and water, which isn't going to perform the way you want it to. 

On the other hand, if your starter has never risen predictably, then you may still be dealing with an immature starter that wasn't really ready for refrigeration. If this is the case, then I would continue feeding your starter at room temperature until you see it begin to rise predictably. At that point you can consider your starter fully mature and ready for baking bread. I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. 

Barb

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