Hi Lizzie, I apologize for the delay in responding to your question, and hope by now that your starter has turned a corner and is rising like a champ! If this isn't the case, then you might want to try the alternative feeding routine suggested to us by microbiologist and sourdough baker, Debra Wink. She observed that starters that show an early burst of activity (due to a type of bacteria that gives off carbon dioxide), are often plagued by a subsequent delay in the wild yeast kicking in. This isn't insurmountable, and even if you continue feeding according to our original starter recipe, eventually your starter will work its way to rising. If you want to try something different, the alternative feeding plan offered by Wink lowers the pH of the starter environment, which she found helps pave the way for the wild yeast to join the party. It works best with either whole wheat flour or whole rye flour, but if you don't have these flours available, you can still use unbleached all-purpose flour. And if you're worried about using up all your flour, you can reduce the size of your starter, at least until your starter begins to rise predictably. Here's the plan: 

1. Feed only once a day. 

2. Feed with wholegrain flour, if available.

3. Feed with a ratio by weight of 2 parts starter : 1 part water : 1 part flour. For example, with a smaller starter this would mean one feeding a day of 30g starter + 15g water + 15g wholegrain flour. 

 Once your starter begins rising predictably (twice) with this feeding routine, then it's important to return to twice a day feedings, which will further promote yeast development. You'll also want to gradually transition back to AP flour, and increase the percentage of water/flour to line up with the 1:1:1 ratio, by weight. 

Don't be surprised if your starter hesitates a bit each time you change it's feeding routine, as the organisms need time to adjust, but once your starter is again rising predictably, then you should be good to go. 

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

Barb

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