Hi Tracy, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get to your question! I hope by now your starter is doubling like a champ, but if this isn't the case, then I would definitely recommend switching up your feeding routine: go with your rye flour,  2:1:1 ratio, and once a day feedings. Don't fret too much about your 20-21ºC temperatures, which should still get the job done, although perhaps a bit slower. You can use 27-33ºC water to feed your starter, which will warm it up a bit, and the top of your freezer will likely work just fine. If you still find your starter is moving too slowly, you could try placing the starter in a picnic cooler (rather than a microwave) with the cup of boiling water set on a towel nearby. A warm water bottle doesn't sound like a bad idea either. 

Once your starter is rising reliably with this routine, then you might want to switch to a mixture of the rye and white flour for the twice a day feedings and 1:1:1 ratio. I'm concerned that adding the vital wheat gluten may have made your white flour a bit too heavy on the protein content for feedings. Protein and starch are inversely proportionate in wheat flour, and since starch is what your starter needs to consume and ferment, choosing a slightly lower protein flour might be more beneficial. Our unbleached all-purpose flour has a protein content of 11.7%, so something in that range is ideal for the AP flour. If you do an half and half mixture of rye and your white flour blend, this should work fine and may make the transition a bit easier for the starter. 

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

Barb 

• Reply