4. Definitions Of Starter Condition
Description
This article is from the Sourdough Starters FAQ, by Brian Dixon briandixon at hotmail.com.
4. Definitions Of Starter Condition
In all of the following text, I refer to starters using the following
terms. These terms are not absolute, and starters can move from one
category to another depending on treatment of the starter:
Term Description/Possible Cause
New Starter Any starter started from any dry source (commercial or
homemade), or the air, that has not yet qualified as "fresh starter."
This is not the same as "old" or "dead" starter, because these two
conditions do not generally follow the same sequence of recovery
stages.
Fresh Starter Starter which has been recently demonstrated to be
vibrant and active. Starter in this category can raise plain white
(french or white bread) dough to a "more than doubled" volume in less
than 2 1/2 hours after a single proofing (feeding) period, i.e.
remove the starter from the refrigerator and proof once, then try
using it. Starter which has been refrigerated for less than 5 days
or so that was "fresh" before refrigerating is also fresh starter.
Old or Dead Starter Starter which has been previously demonstrated
to be "fresh" but which is no longer fresh since it cannot be
demonstrated that it can raise dough after a single proof as
described above. Risings which take longer than 2 1/2 hours indicate
a starter that is either "new" or "old" depending on the prior life
history of the starter. Note that in very nearly all cases of "old"
or "dead" starters, that they can be revived back into "fresh"
starters using the techniques described below. I have heard tell of
starters which haven't been fed for six months being successfully
revived using the given technique.
Non-Standard Starter Starter which contains ingredients other than
white flour and plain water. Some starters do use blends or
alternative flours, and that's ok. Some starters use other
ingredients such as a spoon of sugar (ok, but not suggested). Some
starters also use alternative liquids such as potato water or milk.
These would all be labeled 'Non-Standard Starters' in this document.
Polluted Starter Starter which contains ingredients added by you or
by nature, which are not normal to your starter. Examples include
baking powder, salt, oils, eggs, or any other baking ingredients.
Also, molds and other dark-colored microorganisms not normal to the
natural symbiotic relationship that your starter normally maintains.
These other microorganisms usually affect appearance, smell, and
(especially) flavor. Normal ingredients are flour(s), water, potato
water or potatoes, and possibly milk or milk products. Ingredients
other than plain white flour and plain water change the habitat you
are maintaining for your sourdough microorganisms and may or may not
be wanted according to the characteristics you want your starter to
exhibit.
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