Hi Michael, if you read through some of my previous responses, you'll see that this type of early rising activity isn't uncommon, and seems to be caused by a type of bacteria that gives off carbon dioxide. Unfortunately the presence of this type of bacteria also seems to be related to a subsequent delay in the wild yeast kicking in, which can go on for several days or even weeks, in some cases. If you find your starter has suddenly stopped rising at all, although it's probably still bubbling a bit, this is likely what is happening with your starter. 

When I'm lucky enough to catch someone who has just noticed this early rising behavior, I usually recommend starting over with a starter routine that is meant to avoid this type of bacteria from the onset. This method was developed by microbiologist and sourdough baker, Debra Wink, who discovered that creating a more acidic starter environment discourages this type of bacteria from entering the picture, thereby allowing the wild yeast to join the party in a more timely fashion. 

While it's true that patience almost always wins out when it comes to creating a sourdough starter from scratch, and eventually your starter would work it's way out of its lull and start to rise predictably, starting over will likely save you a lot of flour and frustration. 

Once your starter is rising predictably with Wink's method, then you'll want to begin twice a day feedings, which will further promote yeast activity. At this point you may also want to gradually transition to feeding with Unbleached All-Purpose flour over the course of several feedings. You can also adapt your starter feeding routine to something closer to our sourdough starter recipe, if you so desire. There are lots of ways to create and maintain a sourdough starter, and there's nothing sacred about our method, but it may be easier to follow along with our sourdough recipes if you have a similar starter. 

Once your starter is rising predictably with the twice a day feedings and has a pleasant aroma, then you can consider it mature and ready for baking bread. This usually takes about 10-14 days. Debra Wink notes that the two week mark is often when the starter becomes truly stable. 

I hope this helps! Let us know how it goes. 

Barb

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