Advice on sourdough starter, please?

[Homesteader]

Hey Gang. I've been wanting to get a very basic bread starter going, the way it must have been done in the early days here in South Carolina. Many sources I've read claim that's just equal parts of whole wheat flour and water, set out to collect the yeast. So that's what I did.

It's been about 4 days now, and something's sure happening. The concoction smells something like old beer, there's bubbles in it, but it hasn't risen at all. I'm also not sure if it's the right smell, or if it's a little off. (How I wish I knew someone who does this stuff!)

So I'm looking for some advice and input. How can I tell if it's becoming good starter or has picked up the wrong micro-organisms? If it's not right and I make a loaf with it (since I don't know how to tell the difference), could I poison myself? I know whole wheat doesn't rise as much as white in actual baking, so is it the same with starter? Finally, I know they weren't running down to the Piggly Wiggly in 1750 to buy yeast, and they certainly used whole wheat flour, so what am I doing wrong?

I hope one of you more experienced bakers will take me under your wing so to speak, and help me out with this. I love home baked bread and really want to try doing it the old way. (I use a Dutch oven, of course.)

Thanks very much. I'll really look forward to hearing from you.

 

[boar]

I started mine 1982 with I pkg of dry yeast and equal parts water and flour. It tastes yeasty for a while, then it got better as you use it. I keep half gal starter in frig. I take cup out and set in hot water till it is warm,then use. Bake mostly biscuits,cornbread and fry bread. I started with two cups of warm water and two cups of flour, one pkg yeast, set over nite, then added two more cups water and flour,set over nite then used a cup of it. I use white flour in thestarter , as the whole wheat makes makes it blackish when it seta while and the liquid goes to top. You would be farther a head to get a start off someone, they would travel 50-100 miles to get one by dog sled up north. Dilly

 

[redwing]

You need a high gluetin flour like white biscuit flour. You will not have much luck with whole grain flour. Add some white sugar to the flour and whole milk, and warm water. Set this in a dark warm place.
It is much faster to use dry yeast, but the old way still works. Feeding and use of sourdough takes time to learn. You can find many web sites dealing with this product.

 

[renovato]

If it's smelling a bit like beer, it's turning out right. Here's a little tip you might try. Use the water that you boil potatoes in when you top it off next time. I'm not sure how it works, but the starter always seems to turn out better that way. An old tip my grandma gave me when I was too young to appreciate it. A few drops of honey, or a bit of sugar will help the yeast get going faster too. As long as the yeast outbreeds the nasties, they keep it at bay. Good luck!

 

[Homesteader]

Thanks gang. I knew I could count on you!

 

[Black Hand]

If you don't have supermarket yeast, you can also prime it with wild yeast using pieces of aspen bark (that yellow stuff that comes off on your hands is yeast) or Oregon grape berries (the white bloom on the surface of the berries is yeast). Its' worked for me in the past.