The Fresh Loaf

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Help, my starter is DRUNK!

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

Help, my starter is DRUNK!

My fault, I know.  This started off as Apple YW, now a 100% hydration flour starter that I've neglected a bit and it's been in the fridge.  The weather here is finally warm (hot, actually) so I decided to bring it out, feed it up, and convert it to whole wheat while I was at it. 

I underestimated just how very warm it was in my kitchen yesterday.  I left the starter bubbling away after it's morning feeding and when I finally got my attention back to it about 12 hours later it was giving off alcohol fumes like I've never known before.  It had more than doubled with a busy layer of bubbles on top. 

This was no mere little sip of wine alcohol.  This was dead drunk in the drunk tank alcohol--you could smell it a few feet away!  My starter is a lush!  I'll have to change it's name from Audrey ("feed me") to Otto (remember the drunk on the Andy Griffith Show?  Naw, you're probably too young!). 

The alcohol was not floating on top as I've seen with most hungry starters, so I couldn't pour it off.  The only thing I could do was mix it in, discard, feed it up, and put the poor thing in the hoosegow (the fridge) to sleep it off. 

My question is whether this starter is ruined for all time, or is it worth keeping?  I'm OK with taking just a little out and repropogating that, if that's what's necessary.  I'll just have to wait for the weather to cool off a little first!   ;o)

thomaschacon75's picture
thomaschacon75

Whole wheat and rye starters are total drunks.

Leave them alone somewhere warm and comfy, and you'd better hide the matches.

I wouldn't put it in the fridge right after discard and feed, however. I'd let it sober up at room temperature and, after maybe a feeding or two, put in the icebox (the fridge).

SteveB's picture
SteveB

I'll have to change it's name from Audrey ("feed me") to Otto (remember the drunk on the Andy Griffith Show?  Naw, you're probably too young!). 

I'm not too young to remember that the name of the drunk on the Andy Griffith Show was Otis, not Otto!  :>)

 

SteveB

www.breadcetera.com

 

Janknitz's picture
Janknitz

By gosh, you're right! He was one of my favorite characters on that show. I bet he'd love my hooch ;o)

And yes, we had to hide the matches!

varda's picture
varda

I almost fell over when I opened my container of raisin yeast water the other day.   Strong as whiskey as far as I could tell.    Maybe we should put these starters on a twelve step program.   -Varda

thomaschacon75's picture
thomaschacon75

CSBaker's picture
CSBaker

So, I'm just about to take the plunge and mix up my very first starter. But, it's pretty hot here, and almost everywhere I read that the temp should be in the upper 60s to low 70s.  I fear that my house has been getting somewhat hotter than that during the day (probably low 80s).  Should I put the starter in the fridge and just be patient, or leave it on the counter and watch it bubble the first day, or secret option number 3: Wait until December.