Starter rises well but smells abnormal
Hi everyone,
My starter usually smells like sweet banana bread and that smell was really pleasant to the nose. A few days ago, the smell changed to a strong vinegar smell that wasn't pleasant at all. I kept feeding it anyway and now, there's a flour/yeast/dank smell with very light tinges of unpleasantness. Also, the overall smell of the starter has greatly weakened. I can only barely smell the first whiff after opening the jar, and afterwards, it's too weak. In terms of activity, the starter is really active, generally doubling and sometimes more. There's no observable discoloration or mold on the top or sides. of the jar.
Is there a surefire way of knowing if the starter is safe to bake with?
If starters are generally resilient and even go through a strong bacterial phase when they're 2-3 days old, is it safe to think that after continuous feeding, any bad bacteria, if present, would disappear?
Has the bacterial profile of my starter changed causing the smell to turn from sweet banana bread to whatever it is now? Is there a way to control this profile and, hopefully, return to the banana bread smell?
If your starter is rising well, that is to say doubling or tripling, then it has the yeast in it that is needed to bake. Any 'bad bacteria' will be killed in the bake. I wouldn't be afraid to use the starter at all.
As far as returning it to the smell you are used to, I'm not really sure about that. I've had starters smell really good, and then have that typical yeasty smell you describe, based really on nothing I was doing. Its normal for starter to smell different at different times.
But if you really want to try something, you can feed the starter with rye, whole wheat, or a blend of the two. I do this when I want to give a weak starter a boost. Maybe it will revitalize the pleasant smell for you.
I have had my starter go vinegary before -- it coincided with me being a little late on feedings and an ambient temperature drop. It remained fine to bake with.
The banana bread smell returned after a few days of consistent feedings at peak and a return to a warmer environment.