Hi Monique, It might be helpful for you to increase the percentage of starter that you're feeding, since a 1:3:3 ratio (starter:water:flour, by weight) will tend to slow down fermentation, and may be delaying your starter's progress towards rising. I would suggest feeding only once a day with a 2:1:1 ratio in order to increase the acidity of your starter, which seems to help encourage the wild yeast to kick in.

Once your starter begins to rise predictably (twice), it will be important to resume twice a day feedings (which will further promote yeast activity). At that point, you might also want to consider trying the 1:1:1 ratio we recommend in our sourdough starter recipe. The goal here is to to find a twice a day feeding routine that allows you to replenish (feed) your starter when it's ripe (at its highest point of rising, or just beginning to sink), which keeps the yeast vigorous. Reducing the starter percentage is always an option if you find that your starter is ripening too quickly, and slowing down the process will help your twice a day feedings land closer to the peak. This generally isn't necessary if your home is cool during the winter months, but a 1:3:3 ratio might be an excellent option when your house warms up in the summer. 

Once your starter is rising predictably with the twice a day feedings (I like to see a few days of predictable rising), then you can consider your starter mature and ready for bread baking. You also have the option to refrigerate your mature starter. For that step you'll want to give your starter one more feeding, let it sit out for a few hours or until it starts bubbling, and then stick it in the refrigerator. 

A mature starter can survive in the refrigerator for quite a long time, but it isn't thriving in there. When you're planning to bake recipes that call for "ripe" starter it's generally helpful to plan a day or two of revival feedings at room temperature in order to bring your starter back to its normal activity level before you bake bread. The longer you've stored your starter in the refrigerator, the more room temperature feedings will likely be necessary to revive it.  Look for your starter to double in size within 6-8 hours, and have a pleasant aroma, as good signs that it's ready to add to your bread recipe. 

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

Barb

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