Sunday Notes: Why My Rye Wouldn't Wake

It started with a new bag of stone-ground rye that smelled fantastic and refused to do anything. Feeds went in, nothing came out. No dome, no bubbles, faint yogurt smell.

I did what every Reddit thread on the topic tells you not to do first: I changed three things at once. A pinch of pineapple juice, a warmer spot, a higher-hydration feed. It came roaring back — and I had no idea which change did it.

The right answer, when I calmed down and re-read King Arthur's starter troubleshooting guide, was almost certainly warmth. My kitchen had crept down to 66°F overnight. Warmth first, always. Change one variable at a time.