That's great, David! While some starters can take longer to double, others like yours can have exhibit rapid fermentation to get to a vigorous state quite quickly. You can harvest and use the starter once it doubles in size whether that is after 3 hours or 6 hours. The longer and slower fermentation tends to build more flavor over time. For this reason, you might consider a slower starter build by using 50-75% of the normal amount of starter you do in feedings. Reducing the amount of starter in the hotter summer months is a common technique bakeries use to combat the heat and keep their production schedules stable. Happy baking!
August 1, 2024 at 2:44pm
In reply to I have made this a number of… by David Seremet (not verified)
That's great, David! While some starters can take longer to double, others like yours can have exhibit rapid fermentation to get to a vigorous state quite quickly. You can harvest and use the starter once it doubles in size whether that is after 3 hours or 6 hours. The longer and slower fermentation tends to build more flavor over time. For this reason, you might consider a slower starter build by using 50-75% of the normal amount of starter you do in feedings. Reducing the amount of starter in the hotter summer months is a common technique bakeries use to combat the heat and keep their production schedules stable. Happy baking!