Starter keeps getting watery
Hello!
This is my first time attempting a sourdough starer, I live in a tropical country and daily room temperature is around 80-85°F and humidity is pretty high.
I started with 40 gram whole wheat flour and 40 gram water with daily feeding and started discarding half from the 3rd day. The first two days were going really well, lots of bubbles and very pungent smell by the 2nd day with significant amount of rising. By the 3rd day it was back to it's original height and I noticed it started to get more watery, there were a lot of bubbles but no rising and hooch was forming at the top. I am currently on the 6th day and things have been pretty much the same, on day 5 I tried mixing in 60% flour and 40% water so it doesn't get so watery but the result was the same runny liquid with bubbles on top. The smell has gotten much less pungent now.
Is there anything I'm doing wrong, or I should do differently? Or is this normal? Would love some feedback.
Thank You.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/388264#comment-388264
So liquefying is actually a good sign? Good to know. Is there a time limit to this state of little to no activity? Also hooch starts forming on top just a few hours after feeding it. Is that a sign I should be feeding more than once per 24 hours?
Is it separating or is it hooch?
Sounds as if your starter is going well. A quiet period can last a day or two (or even 3 if you're in a cooler country). What you can do for the next feed is give a a few teaspoons of wholegrain flour, thicken it up and then wait. If you're starter is maturing well you should see more bubbles in which case carry on with your feedings. If not then just stir every now and again till you see more activity.
Perhaps a picture?
It's hooch. And it starts forming a couple of hours after feeding it. I think I'll try feeding it a couple tablespoons of just flour tonight and see how it goes. Thank you for your help :)
Hooch usually takes a pretty long time to develop, like days or weeks. If it's forming after just a few hours, it's probably the flour and water separating. That seems strange though if you're using equal weights of water and flour, especially whole flour.
Those yeasty beasts are very hungry when they are in a warm climate. Feed more often or refrigerate.
Hi @zrn1210, exactly the same issue happened to me now.. My starter is on day 6 now but it’s still on the same level with bubbles on top. Did you manage to get a healthy starter in the end? Any advice?