When Shirley Misbehaves: Understanding the Quirks of Our Sourdough Starter
- imthebreadman
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
This past week, Shirley, our beloved long-term sourdough starter, decided to act up. We didn’t change anything in our routine, yet Shirley’s behavior was off. Did our water filter fail? Could the barometric pressure or the swings in humidity and temperature be the culprits, even after installing new windows this year? Whatever the cause, this experience reminds me that working with sourdough is a journey of learning and adapting.
What Makes Shirley Special
Shirley is not just any sourdough starter. Named after the iconic TV spinoff (Laverne & Shirley) she represents our long-term culture that has been nurtured over the years. Unlike commercial yeast, Shirley is a living community of wild yeast and bacteria that gives our bread its unique flavor and texture.
Laverne (the levain!) is the fresh portion we mix from Shirley before baking. Laverne is like a snapshot of Shirley’s vitality, ready to bring life to the dough. Both are essential, but they can be sensitive to subtle changes in their environment.
The Mystery of Shirley’s Misbehavior
When Shirley started acting differently, it caught us off guard. The starter was less bubbly, slower to rise, and the aroma was off. Since we hadn’t changed our feeding schedule, I started looking for other factors:
Water quality: We rely on a comprehensive (and costly!) water filter to keep our water pure. If it failed, chlorine or other chemical treatments could harm Shirley’s microbes. With a Stage 1 Drought in Colorado, our municipality has likely been tapping reservoirs- which puts a larger strain on our filter system due to sediment.
Barometric pressure: Changes in atmospheric pressure can affect fermentation speed. We've even noticed our starter slowing down before storms!
Humidity and temperature: Despite newer windows that should stabilize our bakery climate, we all know spring weather can be unpredictable. Temperature swings can stress the starter.
Feeding methods: Maybe our approach to mixing and feeding needs adjustment to keep Shirley happy.
Each of these factors can influence the starter’s health. It’s a reminder that sourdough is alive and reacts to its surroundings.
How We Diagnosed and Responded
To understand what was going on, we took a few steps:
Tested the water: I checked the water filters and replaced them just in case. Using bottled spring water temporarily helped us see if water quality was the issue.
Monitored the environment: Josh tracked kitchen temperature and humidity with our hygrometer. The readings showed some fluctuations but nothing extreme.
Adjusted feeding schedule: Josh tried feeding Shirley a bit more frequently, with smaller portions to encourage activity- and I placed her in a sunny window for a short amount of time.
After a few days, Shirley began to bounce back. The levels are rising more predictably, and the aroma is returning to its familiar tangy sweetness.
Lessons Learned from Shirley’s Mood Swings
This experience brought reminders- and taught us new things about working with sourdough starters:
Sourdough starters are sensitive: Even small changes in water, temperature, or air pressure can affect their behavior.
Regular monitoring helps: Keeping an eye on environmental factors and starter activity can catch problems early.
Flexibility is key: Sometimes, you need to tweak feeding schedules or water temperature to adapt to changing conditions.
Patience pays off: Starters can recover if given the right care and time.
Growing Together with Lavain & Shirley
Our journey with Lavain & Shirley is ongoing. Each batch teaches us more about the delicate balance needed to keep our sourdough culture thriving. We're embracing the quirks and challenges, knowing that every creation is a product of this living relationship. It's part of what makes sourdough baking so rewarding.
Thankful for each of you in our sourdough family (and your patience with delayed orders this week!)
The Felix Fam
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