shouldn't really be having too much activity the first day or two other than a citrus odor. not sure why you have a brown liquid. you must make sure everything you make the sourdough with is clean clean clean. any pinkish or colored streaks indicate a contamination which would mean you have to start over. good luck

david

was sanitized before I began.

I cannot seem to get any pictures up here, I don't know why....

Don’t know about the brown liquid, but the premature activity happened with my starter as well. I found a possible explanation at Sourdough Home (scroll down to “An Important Note”). I just kept feeding and hoped for the best – until the happy ending.

Good luck!

It has now started to smell up my entire house. It smells like.... rotten eggs maybe, kinda sour yes, but not yeasty smelling.... It is really growing too. I read that sourdough home article. Thanks.

When I throw out half of it and add more flour and water do I stir it first? Throw out just the liquid and leave the frothy? What's the procedure?

I'm several days into my starter.  It's showing signs of life, but not vigorous.  It does exhibit smells though.  I identified the main smell as bacon cooking.  Now it's more like wine.  I think I'm just going to keep feeding it at 24 hour intervals until it's ready.

I notice that Mike Avery on his site has you feed the starter at 12 hour intervals.  I'm assuming that that's just a difference of opinion.

Rosalie

replace a little bread flour with rye and stir that in and it may jumpstart the sourdough

david