Sourdough starter at elevation
I started my starter from a friends thanksgiving gift of a sample. I live at 6200 ft. Elevation. My issue i've run in to is after feeding it grows and bubbles within 4 hours and thickens. The next day its lost it's expansion and bubbles are smaller and deminished. It gets very thin again. When it's at it's peak, it floats and i've baked with it. But again the next day issues come up and it wont float. Any thoughts on this?
Best Answer
Almost all starters go through a rise and fall cycle after feeding. The starter will typically rise for a few hours (due to yeast growth), reach a certain peak volume, and then collapse (as gases escape, bubbles pop, and the increasing acidity due to bacteria growth weakens gluten). This will happen regardless of elevation, and baking directly with a starter a day after feeding will not usually give the best results (unless one starts with a very small amount of starter and a very large amount of flour for it to consume).
At higher elevations, this cycle will happen a bit faster as the gas production of the yeast will cause the starter to rise more quickly. The collapse will follow once it gets too high.
I'm not certain what remedy the question is asking for. One should usually feed a starter with a timing so that it hasn't peaked before adding it to the final bread dough. If the feeding is occurring too early, then feed the starter closer to the time it will be used. One can also slow the growth of starter by refrigerating it, but I'd recommend only using this for longer storage (more than a day) and usually to plan on feeding again after refrigeration before reuse for most consistent results.
Generally speaking, one shouldn't depend on using a starter on consecutive days without providing it more food. If you feel like you're creating too much starter (and throwing some out), then reduce the quantity of starter you're keeping so that feeding it more often won't result in as much waste. (Even a tablespoon or less of a vigorous starter is plenty to keep in reserve and can be built up --perhaps with multiple feedings -- to whatever amount of starter is necessary for a recipe.)
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Quick Answer about "Sourdough starter at elevation"
Altitude does not have a profound affect on your sourdough starter. While there are many adjustments you'll need to make for a successful loaf of sourdough bread, your sourdough starter is more forgiving. If anything, you'll need to add slightly more water to compensate for the lower humidity levels and drier flour.How do you make sourdough at high altitude?
Increase oven temperature 25 degrees over what the recipe calls for. Generally, increase baking time, unless oven temperature is increased as stated above. Generally, increase hydration. Sometimes a decrease, but not always.Should sourdough starter be used at its peak?
The very short answer is, your sourdough starter generally will be at its peak anything between 4 and 12 hours after feeding. The optimum time to use it will be when there are lots of bubbles at its surface and it has has physically risen to its peak level, just before deflating back down again.Where is the best place for sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter can either be kept at room temperature or in the fridge. If you aren't intending to use your sourdough starter every day, it is best kept in the fridge.What temperature will kills sourdough starter?
Things that WILL kill your sourdough starter Yeast dies at 140\xb0F, and it's likely that your sourdough starter will suffer at temperatures even lower than that. It's best to maintain your starter at comfortable room temperature (around 70\xb0F), though a little higher or lower won't hurt anything.High Altitude Sourdough Bread
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