I created a starter using the King Arthur instructions. Began with whole wheat and switched to AP flour for feeding. After two weeks it was still not doubling and only bubbling slightly. I had a bag of whole wheat flour I wasn't using and as soon as I started feeding whole wheat it exploded. Doubled reliably, frothy, bubbly, everything you could ask for. When I ran out of whole wheat flour, I figured the starter was well established now and switched back to AP flour. It went flat in a day. Back to slight bubbles, little increase in volume. Bought a bag of whole wheat, started using that, and in two feedings we're back to doubling vigorously. Everything I've read says it doesn't much matter what you feed your starter, but my starter appears to thrive on whole wheat and hate AP. Wondering what the story is?

• Reply