— name: sourdough-starter-manager description: Manage sourdough starters with feeding schedules, hydration calculations, health tracking, and baking preparation. Use when the user wants to maintain a sourdough starter, plan feedings, calculate ratios, troubleshoot starter problems, or prepare for baking. metadata: openclaw: emoji: "🍞" version: "1.0.0" author: "AM" tags: ["baking", "sourdough", "cooking", "food", "fermentation"] requires: bins: [] env: [] config: [] — # Sourdough Starter Manager ## Description The Sourdough Starter Manager helps bakers maintain healthy, active sourdough starters through intelligent feeding schedules, precise hydration calculations, health monitoring, and baking preparation planning. Whether you're a beginner or experienced baker, this skill ensures your starter stays healthy and ready for any baking project. ## Core Capabilities ### 1. Feeding Schedule Management – Calculate feeding ratios (starter:flour:water) – Generate maintenance schedules (daily, weekly, refrigerated) – Create pre-bake preparation timelines – Track feeding history and patterns – Set reminders for upcoming feedings ### 2. Hydration Calculations – Calculate current starter hydration percentage – Convert between different hydration levels (e.g., 100% to 75%) – Adjust recipes for different starter hydrations – Calculate flour and water needed for target amounts ### 3. Health Monitoring & Troubleshooting – Diagnose common starter problems – Track rise times and peak activity – Monitor smell, consistency, and appearance – Provide recovery protocols for neglected starters – Identify contamination vs. normal fermentation ### 4. Baking Preparation – Calculate starter amounts needed for recipes – Generate feeding schedules to reach target amounts – Plan multi-day preparation timelines – Adjust for room temperature variations – Optimize timing for specific bake schedules ## Usage Examples ### Example 1: Daily Maintenance Feeding **User**: "I need to feed my starter. I have 50g of starter right now." **Assistant Response**: – Suggests 1:1:1 ratio feeding (50g starter : 50g flour : 50g water) – Notes this will yield 150g total – Recommends discarding excess if not baking soon – Provides timeline: feed now, ready in 4-8 hours at room temp (68-75°F) ### Example 2: Pre-Bake Preparation **User**: "I want to bake bread on Saturday morning. My recipe needs 200g of active starter." **Assistant Response**: – Calculates backward timeline from Saturday morning – Suggests feeding schedule: Thursday night and Friday evening – Provides specific amounts to feed at each stage – Warns about room temperature considerations – Offers contingency plan if starter doesn't rise as expected ### Example 3: Hydration Conversion **User**: "My starter is at 100% hydration but the recipe calls for 75% hydration. How do I convert?" **Assistant Response**: – Explains hydration percentage concept – Calculates flour/water adjustments needed – Provides step-by-step conversion process – Suggests how to maintain a 75% starter vs. one-time conversion – Notes texture and consistency differences ### Example 4: Troubleshooting **User**: "My starter smells like nail polish remover and hasn't risen in days." **Assistant Response**: – Identifies likely cause: hooch formation and starvation – Diagnoses: needs more frequent feeding – Provides recovery protocol: 1. Pour off liquid (hooch) 2. Discard 75% of starter 3. Feed with 1:2:2 ratio (more food to revive it) 4. Feed every 12 hours for 3-4 days 5. Monitor for sweet-sour smell and doubling – Sets realistic recovery timeline – Explains when to discard and start fresh ### Example 5: Long-Term Storage **User**: "I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks. How do I store my starter?" **Assistant Response**: – Recommends refrigeration method – Feeding protocol before storage: 1:5:5 ratio (well-fed) – Storage instructions: airtight container with room to expand – Revival instructions for return – Alternative: dehydration method for longer storage – Notes on starter resilience (can survive months in fridge) ## Key Formulas & Calculations ### Hydration Percentage “` Hydration % = (Water Weight / Flour Weight) × 100 Example: 50g flour + 50g water = 100% hydration 50g flour + 37.5g water = 75% hydration “` ### Feeding Ratio Notation “` 1:1:1 = 1 part starter : 1 part flour : 1 part water 1:2:2 = 1 part starter : 2 parts flour : 2 parts water Example with 50g starter: 1:2:2 = 50g starter + 100g flour + 100g water = 250g total “` ### Target Amount Calculation “` To get X grams of starter at ratio R:S:F:W If ratio is 1:2:2 and you need 200g: – Total parts = 1+2+2 = 5 – Starter needed = 200/5 × 1 = 40g – Flour needed = 200/5 × 2 = 80g – Water needed = 200/5 × 2 = 80g “` ## Troubleshooting Guide ### Common Issues **Not Rising / Slow Activity** – Likely causes: Too cold, needs more frequent feeding, weak starter – Solutions: Move to warmer spot (75-80°F), increase feeding frequency, try 1:2:2 ratio **Liquid on Top (Hooch)** – Cause: Starter is hungry and has consumed available food – Solution: Stir back in or pour off, then feed immediately **Mold Growth** – Identification: Fuzzy colored spots (green, pink, orange) – Action: Discard entire starter, sanitize container, start fresh – Prevention: Regular feeding, clean utensils, proper ratios **Acetone/Nail Polish Smell** – Cause: Starvation and alcohol production – Solution: Feed more frequently with higher flour ratios **No Bubbles After Several Days** – Possible causes: Chlorinated water, non-organic flour, too cold – Solutions: Use filtered water, try organic flour, increase temperature ### Health Indicators **Healthy Starter Signs:** – Doubles in size within 4-8 hours of feeding – Pleasant sweet-sour smell – Bubbles throughout – Passes float test (drop in water and it floats) – Elastic, stretchy consistency **Unhealthy Starter Signs:** – No rise after 12+ hours – Offensive smell (not just sour) – No bubbles – Watery consistency that doesn't improve – Colored spots or mold ## Storage Methods ### Refrigeration (Best for 1-4 week breaks) 1. Feed with 1:5:5 ratio 2. Let rise to peak (4-8 hours) 3. Seal in container with room to expand 4. Refrigerate 5. Can last months with occasional feeding (every 2-4 weeks) ### Dehydration (Best for long-term storage) 1. Feed starter and wait until peak rise 2. Spread thin layer on parchment paper 3. Air dry completely (2-3 days) or use dehydrator 4. Break into flakes and store in airtight container 5. Rehydrate with equal parts flour and water ### Freezing (Not recommended) – Can damage yeast and bacterial cultures – May not revive successfully ## Temperature Guidelines | Temperature | Activity Level | Feeding Frequency | |————-|—————-|——————-| | 65-70°F | Slow | Every 24 hours | | 70-75°F | Moderate | Every 12-24 hours | | 75-80°F | Active | Every 8-12 hours | | 80-85°F | Very Active | Every 6-8 hours | | 85°F+ | Too Hot | Risk of bad bacteria | ## Baking Preparation Timeline ### Same-Day Bake (8-12 hours notice) – Take refrigerated starter out – Feed 1:2:2 ratio – Use when doubled (4-8 hours depending on temp) ### Next-Day Bake – **Evening before**: Feed refrigerated starter 1:1:1 – **Morning of bake**: Starter should be at peak, ready to use ### Weekend Bake Planning – **Thursday evening**: Remove from fridge, feed 1:2:2 – **Friday morning**: Discard all but 50g, feed 1:2:2 – **Friday evening**: Check rise, feed 1:1:1 (or according to recipe needs) – **Saturday morning**: Use at peak rise ## Best Practices 1. **Consistency is Key**: Try to feed at similar times each day 2. **Ratios Matter**: Adjust feeding ratios based on schedule and temperature 3. **Trust Your Senses**: Smell and appearance tell you more than the clock 4. **Keep Records**: Track feedings and outcomes for better understanding 5. **Don't Stress**: Sourdough starters are resilient and forgiving 6. **The Float Test**: Not perfect but helpful – drop starter in water, it should float when ready 7. **Room Temperature**: Affects everything – adjust expectations accordingly 8. **Discard Uses**: Don't waste – use in pancakes, crackers, pizza dough ## Recipe Adjustments When a recipe calls for different starter than you maintain: **Your starter is 100% hydration, recipe calls for stiff (50-60%)**: – Reduce water in recipe by 10-20% – Or convert portion of your starter temporarily **Your starter is 100%, recipe calls for liquid (125%)**: – Add extra water to recipe – Or adjust your starter for one feeding ## Advanced Tips – **Peak vs. Past Peak**: Use at peak for maximum rise, past peak for more sour flavor – **Flour Types**: Whole wheat and rye ferment faster than white flour – **Water Quality**: Chlorinated water can inhibit growth – use filtered if possible – **Seasonal Variations**: May need more frequent feeding in summer, less in winter – **Whole Grain Boost**: Add 10-20% whole wheat/rye to feeding for more activity – **Starter Names**: Many bakers name their starters – it's tradition! ## When to Use This Skill Use the Sourdough Starter Manager when users: – Ask about feeding their sourdough starter – Need help calculating hydration or ratios – Want to prepare starter for baking – Have questions about starter health or troubleshooting – Need storage advice for vacations or breaks – Want to convert between different starter hydrations – Ask about timelines for baking preparation – Need help reviving a neglected or weak starter – Want to understand fermentation schedules – Ask about temperature effects on starter activity ## Important Notes – Every starter is unique and may behave slightly differently – Trust your senses (smell, sight, texture) over rigid timing – Room temperature significantly affects all timelines – When in doubt, feed your starter – it's hard to overfeed – Starters can survive weeks of neglect in the refrigerator – Start fresh if you see mold (colored fuzzy spots) – don't risk it — *Remember: Sourdough baking is an art and a science. These guidelines are starting points – adjust based on your environment, schedule, and starter's unique personality!*