8. Non-Standard Starters
Description
This article is from the Sourdough Starters FAQ, by Brian Dixon briandixon at hotmail.com.
8. Non-Standard Starters
If you have a non-standard starter as defined above, and it's
healthy, then keep on keepin' on. You're doing fine.
A. Conversion: If you have a non-standard starter which is not healthy. Then
convert the starter to a standard starter by using the "Sweetening
the Pot with 1 Tablespoon" method below to create a standard,
white-flour-only starter. Use 1 tablespoon of your nonstandard
starter to begin the process. If the starter is not very healthy
after a single treatment, then refrigerate the starter for no less
than 12 hours, and sweeten the pot again. If the starter is very
unhealthy, you may have to repeat the process up to 5 or 6 (or more?)
times. Each time you repeat the process, use 1 tablespoon of starter
from the last run and discard the rest.
Once you've restored the health of your starter by converting it to a
standard starter as described, you may pursue either of 2 methods for
converting back to the nonstandard starter that you started with:
B. No Re-Conversion Method: In the first method, you never really
do convert back. Rather, you just maintain your standard starter
using standard replenishing techniques as described below. Then when
you wish to have that special starter for a particular recipe, then
use 1 tablespoon of your standard starter and follow the directions
for sweetening the pot, but instead of using plain, white flour and
plain water, substitute your special flour(s) and liquid(s). For
example, a rye starter can be made in one day by taking a single
tablespoon of standard starter and mixing it with 1 1/2 cups rye
flour and 1 cup water and proofing for 24 hours at 72-77 degrees.
C. Re-Conversion Method: In the second method, you use 1 tablespoon
of the newly-refreshed standard starter, then blend it with your
special flour(s) and
liquid(s), and proof for 24 hours at 72-77 degrees. Then from this
time on, continue to feed and replenish your special starter with
your special ingredients. If your starter should ever get unhealthy
again, then just follow the above procedure to revive it again. Try
to determine why your starter is becoming unhealthy. Are you
carefully controlling the proofing temperature so the proof is not
actually under/over proofing the starter? Underproof prevents the
maintenance of high levels of yeast and lacto-bacilli in your
starter. Overproofing results in yeast and lacto-bacilli dying from
too much alcohol or acidity in the starter. Are you adding sugar(s)
or other simple carbohydrates that cause the starter to proof too
fast? The problem with this is that the mixture of 'food' (simple
and complex sugars and starches) needs to be correct for the blend of
microorganisms in the starter. Giving it too much food that is
easily metabolized by yeast can cause your starter to proof too
quickly, resulting in elevated alcohol levels at the end of the
normal proofing time. This can kill off yeast prematurely and result
in a weaker starter. Or, if you use the starter as soon as it's
ready in this case, you are probably not allowing the lacto-bacillus
to reach maximum population levels. This results in a starter that
works well, but is gradually becoming bland over time. I recommend
feeding with only plain, unbleached all-purpose flour. Note that you
can feed with 'best for bread' flours that have higher levels of
gluten in them too, but they tend to make the starter clumpier or
more gelatinous. I prefer the manageability of a starter fed with
all-purpose flour, and only use bread flour for the remainder of the
recipe when making bread. If your starter care passes these tests,
then you may consider the possibility that the mix of flour(s) and
liquid(s) that you are using does not sufficiently provide the
correct blend of food for long-term maintenance of your nonstandard
starter. In that case, I suggest the first method above for
maintaining your nonstandard starter where you actually just keep a
normal white flour and water starter, and convert to your nonstandard
type with the 1-Tablespoon method when necessary.
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