Tried a sourdough starter with rye flour and it went crazy fast

Honestly, I've always used regular white flour for my starter. Last month, I saw a video saying rye makes it more active, so I gave it a shot with 50 grams of rye. Ngl, it doubled in size in under 4 hours, way faster than my old one ever did. I learned that different flours can really change the feeding schedule you need. It was a good reminder to watch the dough, not just the clock. Has anyone else had to adjust their whole routine after switching flour types?

4 comments

4 Comments

angelaw782mo ago

Wait, it doubled in under four hours?

logan_wells2mo ago

Seriously? That sounds totally normal to me. My starter always goes that fast with whole wheat, it's way more active. Maybe your kitchen is just a bit cooler than mine, that would slow it down. Why are we acting like four hours is some crazy speed record?

cooper.drew2mo ago

Isn't it wild how much a simple flour swap can throw off your whole rhythm?

jessica7074d ago

Yeah, that "it doubled in under four hours" line really hit home for me. I had the same exact thing happen when I switched from white to rye. It threw off my whole schedule and I had to start feeding it twice a day instead of once. @cooper.drew is right, it is wild how much a simple flour swap can mess with your rhythm. I ended up having to toss a lot of discarded starter that first week because I couldn't keep up with it. Now I just keep a smaller amount of rye starter on hand so it's manageable.