On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 10:58:35 -0500, Kevin J. Cheek
> wrote:

>It was going so well. I sterilized the jar and utensils, mixed in one cup
>of warm water (chlorine free) with one cup of whole wheat flour and set
>aside. After 24 hours the flour had settled, leaving dark water at the
>top, but there were some bubbles.
>
>Mixed, poured out one cup and mixed in 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2
>cup warm water. In 12 hours the mixture had doubled, with bubbles about
>1/8 of an inch across throughout, and was floating atop a layer of water.
>The starter had a sour smell. Mixed, poured out one cup, mixed in 1/2 cup
>whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup warm water, and set aside again.
>
>Then nothing. After 12 hours there were no signs of bubbles. Mixed and
>waited 12 hours more. Nothing. Waited another 24 hours. Nothing.
>
>What happened?
>
>- Kevin Cheek

Hi Kevin,

First... How warm was the water?

Second... What do you know about the flour? If, for example,
it had been sterilized along the way, you are likely to get
nothing of value growing.

Next... Often at the outset, there seems to be vigorous
activity because of critters that are not those we want in a
starter. They come to life, give us hope, then die off.

I would suggest that you continue (with a caution about the
temperature of the water) for another five days or so.

HTH,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Kenneth" > wrote in message
...
....
>>Then nothing. After 12 hours there were no signs of bubbles. Mixed and
>>waited 12 hours more. Nothing. Waited another 24 hours. Nothing.
>>
>>What happened?

That's hard to say remotely, Kevin. As Kenneth pointed out, you've got to
watch your temperatures. In general some portion of the soup of critters
that comprise a SD culture don't do well as the temperature approaches 100F
and warmer. Room temp water s/b just fine.

While I would ALWAYS counsel that you use an established culture from
someone, if you must start one from scratch, I would start with Rye
flour...at least until you get it established. Use plain, unbleached, Rye
flour. Freshly ground, if you can get it, would be best. After you've got
it going you can convert 'em to whatever flour you like.

While I often do bake with both Rye and Whole Wheat, I always make and
maintain my culture with ordinary, white, bread flour. That way I have more
flexibility to make different things. I find that I don't like WW or Rye in
my Pita's or Focaccias, for instance. YM(and tastes)MV...


HTH,
Dusty
San Jose, Ca.
--
Remove STORE to reply
>>
>>- Kevin Cheek
>
> Hi Kevin,
>
> First... How warm was the water?
>
> Second... What do you know about the flour? If, for example,
> it had been sterilized along the way, you are likely to get
> nothing of value growing.
>
> Next... Often at the outset, there seems to be vigorous
> activity because of critters that are not those we want in a
> starter. They come to life, give us hope, then die off.
>
> I would suggest that you continue (with a caution about the
> temperature of the water) for another five days or so.
>
> HTH,
>
> --
> Kenneth
>
> If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

In article >,
says...
> While I would ALWAYS counsel that you use an established culture from
> someone, if you must start one from scratch, I would start with Rye
> flour...at least until you get it established. Use plain, unbleached, Rye
> flour. Freshly ground, if you can get it, would be best. After you've got
> it going you can convert 'em to whatever flour you like.

I have a non-standard starter from a friend than uses potato flakes and
it makes fantastic bread. However I wanted to see what I could come up
with on my own. I was trying to do with whole wheat what you recommend
with rye - capture a starter and then shift to regular flour.

- Kevin Cheek

"Kenneth" > wrote in message
...
....
>>Then nothing. After 12 hours there were no signs of bubbles. Mixed and
>>waited 12 hours more. Nothing. Waited another 24 hours. Nothing.
>>
>>What happened?

That's hard to say remotely, Kevin. As Kenneth pointed out, you've got to
watch your temperatures. In general some portion of the soup of critters
that comprise a SD culture don't do well as the temperature approaches 100F
and warmer. Room temp water s/b just fine.

While I would ALWAYS counsel that you use an established culture from
someone, if you must start one from scratch, I would start with Rye
flour...at least until you get it established. Use plain, unbleached, Rye
flour. Freshly ground, if you can get it, would be best. After you've got
it going you can convert 'em to whatever flour you like.

While I often do bake with both Rye and Whole Wheat, I always make and
maintain my culture with ordinary, white, bread flour. That way I have more
flexibility to make different things. I find that I don't like WW or Rye in
my Pita's or Focaccias, for instance. YM(and tastes)MV...


HTH,
Dusty
San Jose, Ca.
--
Remove STORE to reply
>>
>>- Kevin Cheek
>
> Hi Kevin,
>
> First... How warm was the water?
>
> Second... What do you know about the flour? If, for example,
> it had been sterilized along the way, you are likely to get
> nothing of value growing.
>
> Next... Often at the outset, there seems to be vigorous
> activity because of critters that are not those we want in a
> starter. They come to life, give us hope, then die off.
>
> I would suggest that you continue (with a caution about the
> temperature of the water) for another five days or so.
>
> HTH,
>
> --
> Kenneth
>
> If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."