Boron Elgar wrote:

> On Sun, 2 Feb 2020 13:31:51 -0700, graham > wrote:
>
> > On 2020-02-02 1:20 p.m., Boron Elgar wrote:
> >> On Sun, 02 Feb 2020 11:57:17 -0700, U.S. Janet B. >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> On Sun, 02 Feb 2020 11:40:36 -0500, Boron Elgar
> >>> > wrote:
> > > >
> >>>> My main fridge died (no probs, got a nice new one) and in
> >>>> digging/cleaning out a few things that had wound up way in the
> back of >>>> the old bottom freezer portion, I found a ziplock with 8
> or 10 >>>> different sourdough starters I had saved over time.
> > > > >
> >>>> These things had not seen the light of day in maybe 5-7 years at
> the >>>> earliest. They were dried and crumbled starters that had
> been created >>> >from successful ones I used for bread baking. Some
> here can attest to >>>> my previously held affection for keeping a
> lab's worth of starters >>>> bubbling away for use whenever the mood
> hit for specific >>>> flavors/activity in starters. They were like
> family pets.
> > > > >
> >>>> I grabbed two starters at random. Neither was labeled, so I know
> they >>>> were from my homemade concoctions over the years. I always
> made >>>> emergency backups to keep in the freezer should anything
> befall the >>>> currently preferred bubblies. Others were labeled and
> they, too will >>>> get tried at some point (Carl's, some
> shared/swapped ones, etc).
> > > > >
> >>>> Dang if both did not activate overnight with the first
> refreshment. >>>> One was more active than the other and I will
> still wait a few days to >>>> make sure they are stable before using
> either, but dayum- I was >>>> impressed at their quick revivals -
> even that they were revivable at >>>> all. Sometimes things just do
> not make it.
> > > >
> >>> I had wondered what had happened to your stable of friends. It's
> good >>> to know that they can be revived after that amount of time.
> Did you >>> use their regular feeding amounts?
> >>> Janet US
> >>
> >> I put the flakes into a few spoons of water to dissolve them, then
> did >> a normal 1 to 1 ratio of water to flour refreshment- maybe
> quarter cup >> of each, being more generous than usual.
> >>
> >> I used Talenti ice cream containers with screw on tops.
> >>
> >
> > Do the different starters have different characters, apart from
> > strength that is?
>
> To a great extent, yes, but strength/speed is one of the biggest
> variables. I also used to have several flour bases- rye, WW, etc- that
> can affect flavor. Some work better with mixed or specific flours,
> too.
>
> Most starters, once one is familiar with them individually, can also
> be ditzed with during preferment/dough creation. Some dough builds, as
> you well know, take longer than others by nature of the recipe and
> ingredients. Knowing which starters can handle a long build or can
> offer a real burst of activity quickly can make all the difference in
> the ultimate taste of the bread.

Good to know. I've not tried a starter yet here. What I have seen is
Rye flour has virtually dissapeared near me.

I'll have to go to Whole Foods I think, to get it. Maybe a bad crop
this year or something?