The way my sourdough starter changed after 3 weeks of feeding it rye flour is wild

I had been using all-purpose flour for like 6 months and my loaves were fine but kinda flat. Switched to rye flour in my feedings on a whim and after 3 weeks it was doubling in half the time. The crumb got way more open and that sour tang finally showed up. Has anyone else seen a big shift just from changing their flour type?

3 comments

3 Comments

skyler_kim1526d ago

Switched my starter to whole wheat for a month and it went CRAZY active but the flavor got kinda bitter and sour in a bad way. Rye seems to hit a sweet spot where the yeast LOVES it but you don't get that weird harsh taste. What I noticed nobody talks about is how different flours feed different bacteria strains. Your starter basically becomes a reflection of whatever you feed it most, so rye selects for a totally different microbe community than all-purpose does. That's why some people swear by keeping a "backup" starter in the fridge with a different flour just in case things go sideways.

the_claire26d ago

My roommate tried the whole wheat thing last year and it literally turned into this angry bubbling monster that smelled like feet and old cheese. She thought she was being a bread genius and then baked a loaf that was so sour it made her cat leave the room. Had to toss the whole thing and start over with plain bread flour, which was honestly hilarious to watch. Rye is definitely the safer bet, her backup starter in the fridge with rye has been going strong for like six months with zero drama.

bettyhunt26d ago

Well have you ever fed your starter straight up coconut flour just to see what happens? I tried it once and it turned into this weird gelatinous blob that smelled like a beach towel left in a hot car for a week. Took me two months of white flour feedings to get it back to normal, never again.