Quick question regarding storing starter in refrigerator?

For a weekly refreshment, I would feed 1:2, store at your preferred fermentation temp until peaked, then feed 1:1, ferment for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate.

Lance

My choice is #3.

I feed my starter 1:1:1 once a week, let it rest for about an hour, then refrigerate between feedings.

Just before each feeding I stir it and let it sit for 15 - 30 min to warm up a bit.

Been doing this with same starter for about 2 years.  Seems healthy and happy!

Dear missin,

As with all yeasty advice, the answer is yes to all 3 though I am partial to #2. Truth is, some aspire to have live bubbly starter on the counter all the time, but most of us mortals have other things to do most of the time. So the refrigerator is a useful solution.

I generally make an extra large batch of levain once a month or so, then reserve 50 g to seed a new batch of starter. I mix it with 50 g flour and 50 g of water, then refrigerate immediately.

Once or twice a week, I grab 5 g of starter to build a levain for a batch of dough. To ensure a lively levain, I try to build 3 generations from this 5 g seed. So 5 g starter fed @1:2:2 gives me 25 g. After 12 hours, I’ll feed @1:1:1 giving me 75 g after 12 more hours. Then another 1:2:2 feeding which will yield 350-375 g of perky levain on mixing morning.

Once I’ve used maybe half of my refrigerated starter, I start again with an extra large batch of levain. And you should know that I left my starter in the refrigerator for a 3 month trip to France last year and came home and it revived just fine after 3 generations. This is just a reminder that there are very few single paths to truth when it comes to bread or yeast. There are definitely successful strategies...but many of them.

Cheers,

Phil