Sourdough starter not rising? Is something else going wrong? This post answers common sourdough starter questions
The first thing to establish is, how new is the starter. If your starter is only a few days old then this is really common.
It takes a long time for the yeast colony to establish itself in a new starter. However, do check that....
–The environment isn't too cold. Keep it at a temperature between 70°F and 80°F (21°C and 26°C). – The environment isn't too hot. If it's hotter than 95°F/35°C the yeast will become dormant. Also....
– Are your feeding ratios correct? If you have fed your starter too much, or too soon after a previous feed it can slow things down too as it has more food to get through. – Flour. Use unbleached flour. If you're using bleached flour it can hinder the culture growth.
– Water. Tap water can often be perfectly fine for sourdough starter but sometimes if there are high amounts of chlorine present it can affect the starter. Use filtered water, or let your tap water sit for 12 hours before using so the chlorine can dissipate.
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