OpenTube

Doubling Doesn't Mean Your Starter Is Strong

Russell Peace Baker

57,188 views

Your sourdough starter doubles after feeding. It looks bubbly, active and ready to bake with.

So why is your bread still flat, dense or inconsistent?

The problem is that activity and strength are not the same thing.

A starter can rise quickly after a small feed while still struggling to ferment a full bread dough. Doubling tells you that fermentation is happening, but it does not automatically prove that your starter is strong, balanced or ready to produce reliable oven spring.

In this video, I explain:
• Why doubling became the standard test for starter readiness
• The difference between starter activity and starter strength
• Why small feeds can make a weak starter look impressive
• How accumulated acidity affects starter performance
• Why starters sometimes weaken during fridge storage
• How to test your starter using a 1:5:5 feed
• How to strengthen a sluggish or inconsistent starter
• The low-waste weekly starter routine I use
• How starter strength affects bulk fermentation, crumb and oven spring

I also compare a 1:1:1 feed with a 1:5:5 feed to show why the fastest-rising starter is not always the strongest.

The real question is not simply:
“Did my starter double?”

A better question is:
“Can my starter repeatedly process a larger feed, peak predictably and ferment bread dough reliably?”

That is a much better measure of genuine starter strength.

Starter resources
Download my Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Starters:
https://russellpeacebaker.com/starter

My Weekly Starter Routine explains how I keep a tiny starter in the fridge, minimise waste and prepare it for weekend baking:
https://russellpeacebaker.com/weekly

And if you'd like a detailed PDF specifically to help you strengthen a weak sourdough starter, check out my How to Strengthen a Weak Sourdough Starter:
https://russellpeacebaker.com/strengthen

More sourdough guides and recipes:
https://russellpeacebaker.com

Subscribe for calm, practical sourdough education focused on fermentation, flour behaviour and understanding the process rather than blindly following the clock.

#sourdoughstarter #sourdoughbread #sourdoughtips

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
01:33 - The Problem
02:23 - Why is Doubling the GOLD standard?
04:10 - Why Doubling can fool you
06:14 - Acidity Vs Strength
07:51 - What starter strength actually means
09:55 - Small feeds = false confidence
11:47 - Why starters become weak
14:23 - The acidity problem
16:08 - How to test strength
18:04 - What if it 'fails' the 1:5:5 test?
19:33 - What about the bread?
21:05 - My weekly starter routine
23:08 - Common Misunderstandings
24:51 - Strengthening Process
26:14 - When to use a starter
27:32 - Fee guides and downloads to help
28:24 - Final Words

20 Comments

@lawilder2059 2 weeks ago

The pace of your speaking and the clear pronunciation is so beautiful. So many people on YT have such poor speaking skills which makes listening to them very difficult. Thank you for all your hard work and for helping people trying to create a good sourdough loaf. Promoting this ancient art is good for the soul.

@louhoo1971 1 day ago

For months I was captivated by the videos of sourdough, so when I decided I would take a leap of faith and start my journey, I quickly discovered that I was not even able to produce a starter! It's been 15 months and almost 40 pounds of flour later, and the only thing I've managed to do is make a dang starter! Last night was my second attempt at making a loaf, and it failed again. I literally was going to chuck everything into the garbage last night until I started watching a couple of your videos. I'm happy to report that after a proper education (thank you, sir), I believe that maybe my starter just isn't strong enough- so I'll start there (1.5.5). At least now I have a helpful resource to figure it out. Wish me luck as my patience is running on fumes:D

@CoventinaSoapery 3 months ago

Fantastic breakdown of what it means to keep & use a healthy starter, without generating copious amounts of discard. Thank you Russell.

@margauxcaugant-yvernat8493 2 months ago

This is, by far, the best sourdough content on youtube. Thanks a lot !

@genidoagnelli8409 4 weeks ago

Very factual and simply explained—everything you need to know if you are serious about your starter. It will save you a lot of nerves and frustration that usually come with this meticulous process. Thanks, mate! ✌

@MayaMPsych 2 months ago

Russell I'm so grateful that you teach us how to read the dough or the starter, not the clock. I am slowly learning, my first loaf was great (for a beginner) and I'm already learning that balancing the variables is key. Please keep teaching us.

@dawnhowell8169 2 weeks ago (edited)

This makes so much sense. The you so much. Now I understand why my bread didn’t rise and was so dense, I can’t even make croutons from the dense loaf! Very helpful 😊

@neilsederburg8635 3 days ago

I love spelt. I bake tons on the weekends and do exactly what he says. Only difference is I use 1:3:3 twice daily. My starter is 100% spelt. Loaves are a balance of spelt starter and a spelt/bread flour. Strength is everything. Took about a month to make a great starter and periodic big feeds keep it strong. I do 1:5:5 every week or two. Actual baking, I use a spelt starter, split it into dozens of small 1:2:2 starters then feed those to size. Mix and bake. Sort of an exponential way to make 100+ loaves in a day. To me, it's about routine. Based on this video, I'll test refrigeration more between feeding to see how it effects flavor.

Great information!!! Thanks.

@thebackyardbrewer5611 1 month ago

22:53 FWIW i am now copying your exact routine and its brilliant! Thank you, the starter routine was the big area where i was making errors and now im banging out consistent awesome sourdough bread

@pointer333 3 months ago

Lots of wisdom in this video! Confirms a lot of what I've found in my sourdough journey

@RachelAbdul-Rahmaan 3 weeks ago

This was incredibly helpful, thank you so much! I'm pretty new to sourdough and I had a feeling that my starter was weak, but I couldn't get a clear answer on what it needed. Now I have a good plan to move forward!

@Amadea1977 2 months ago

Thank you! I finally was able to build up the strength of my starter by gradually increasing its feed! Finally had my first taftoon bread with my very own starter today and I'm very grateful that you gave us the how and the why. I appreciate it. All the best, much love, from Iran! 🙏

@LindaEdwards-c9g 1 month ago

Your exactly right. I wish all the utubes did this before doing their receipe that looks so simple. And I ended up with flat bread over and over. Thank you.

@deviananta7055 2 months ago

This is the best explanation I have ever heard of this. Thank you so much! I am baking with fmf and I am definitely going to follow your instructions!!!

@tomwhyman9947 2 months ago

Thank you for easily the best baking video I have ever seen, and maybe best cooking video.

The information on controlling processes for predictability is such a foundational skill to all cooking and is what actually allows you the freedom to experiment!

@paulchevako 3 months ago

Thank you Russell. Love the way you spread the starter over the flour/water/salt,... and then fold it all together. I have been letting the big jar full of starter in the back of the fridge haunt me. What I learned here: starter is not a jar of stuff, it's a process.

@sadtomato1066 3 months ago

This is the most helpful bread video that I have seen. The 1:5:5 starter build is giving me a healthier starter so I'm hoping to make fewer frisbies going forward! Thank you!

@MaryBerryFancyFibers 1 month ago

Thanks for this video and the various guides. I am the champion in the contest to make flat gummy loaves. I thought I was doing everything right but oven spring was non-existent. Also, despite following instructions as to how many stretch and folds over X amount of time, my dough never got past the sticky phase. After I read your guides and watched the videos, I realized that I needed to start with my starter. My starter was just a Pretender. It LOOKED right, but I was only feeding it 1:1:1. I was using a lot of it—some recipes called for 300 grams of starter. But my dough did not develop well. Over the last few days, most of my starter became pancakes (yum!), and I transitioned to a micro starter. After a couple of feeds at 1:5:5, the starter looked much better. I have a warm kitchen, the starter rose in good time, then I let it peak and fall so I knew for sure what that looked like. Today I fed it 1:15:15 because I actually need 300g of discard for tomorrow’s supper. It took 7ish hours to peak, but it looked great. Tomorrow, I will take the discard and feed a small amount 1:5:5 again, keeping close track of the time. Monday I will follow the directions for the Mighty White, including feeding the starter, and Tuesday I will bake. I hope my starter has significant strength to make a nice loaf. Same flour and room temp spring water. Cross your fingers for me. I have done some amazing things during my 70 years of life on this rotating ball, and I will NOT be beaten by a loaf of bread! 😂😂❤❤ THANK YOU!