So this weird issue that I've never experienced before, my starter is 1.5-2 years old I feed it every 1-2 weeks I've baked many successful times with it, today I tried refreshing it but it won't rise at all
I usually refresh my starter at 1:5:5 and leave it for 12 hours at 22-28c it usually triples around the 7th hour mark, the only difference this time I put it on my heater at low setting because it's 15c atm, but the starter is not moving at all, I thought that the heater was on high but the starter temperature maxed at 31c, i tried again but with 1:1:1 but again dead, anyone encountered something similar before?
I haven't - but I use a different method. either way If it doesn't rise - it's dead or on the other hand - not enough to cause a rise. The description says it was good once - so I'll have to say it's dead. Feed a lot - give it time - it'll come back. Use yeast in the mean time. Enjoy!
meko: you say you usually feed every couple of weeks but you don't say how long it's been. I was recently away for two weeks & my rye starter had not been used for 2 weeks before that and it was insanely sluggish when I retrieved it from the fridge.
You seem to have fed your starter twice -- am I correct? ... once at 1:5:5 and next at 1:1:1 ... you have to give whatever yeasts remain time to feed. If it were me, I would not feed it again right away. Rather, I'd suggest waiting to see what happens over the coming 2 days without feeding it.
And then reconsidering.
Rob