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My Ischia sourdough starter is smelling FOUL!!!!! sourdo.com starter

wtb375's picture
wtb375

My Ischia sourdough starter is smelling FOUL!!!!! sourdo.com starter

So I bought two italian sourdough cultures from https://sourdo.com/.  I have one Ischia and one Camaldoli.  

 

I am new at this so this is my first time doing any sourdoughs period.  I follow directions!!!!  This company say's QUOTE "wants you to start the first 24 hours at 90 degrees in a proofer so it promotes the growth of lactobacilli and thus increases acid production.  High Acidity helps prevent contamination of the active culture by nonsourdough organisms present in most flour, most of which do not thrive in an acid environment.

 

I followed the above direction, and did 90 degrees for 24 hours.  I was using King Arthur all purpose flour as well.  I noticed after 24 hours in a proofer there was some kind of activity, bubbles and such.  I opened the jar to split the starter into TWO jars.  the smell that came out of the jar smelled like VOMIT.  I have no other description, it was horrible, nothing like yeast or anything.  I added my 1 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of warm water and stirred and put the lid back on the mason Quart size jar and left it at room temp. (72 degrees)  for the next 12.  This morning I did not see activity and did not see bubbles.  I did see the nasty liquid sitting on the top the hooch I believe.  I opened both and they both smelled horrible like vomit again.  I poured off the liquid, mixed it, discarded all but 1" of the starter and added 1 cup of flour and 34 cup of warm water and mixed both jars.  I have a rubber band marking the top level.  It has been 3 hours since I fed it and I do not see bubbles, not activity.  just some hooch forming at the top of the starter.

 

I emailed the sourdo company where I bought this from and the lady basically told me it might be the King Arthur flour and to switch to Gold Medal flour instead.  I thought that was weird.  AP Flour is not all that different so why would Gold Medal be any different.  Also so sold me to put the lid on snug, that also is different than the instructions they provided.  I asked for a replacement of the ischia starter and she basically said no she would just refund me.  

 

ANY HELP PLEASE!!!  I really want to try this Ischia starter as I want to make amazing Neapolitan Pizza.  I thought this starter would give me the best chance.  Looks like now I have two VERY SMELLY starters that are not doing much.  Granted I am only 39 hours as I type this but still that smell is just awful.  

 

Any help for this newbie would be greatly appreciated.

phaz's picture
phaz

Here's my description of the smell - think parmesan cheese mixed with old well used gym socks found in the bottom of a closet - and they've been there for years. 

But that's how things usually start. Keep following the directions and see what happens - and be patient.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Did the instructions say what to do with the second jar after dividing the starter?  ( I would suspect one does nothing with it. It becomes back up.). 

The vomit smell is a bacteria group that gives way to more nicer smelling bacteria as the acid levels in the starter increase.  Let the starter stand a bit longer before discarding and feeding again.  The flour and water dilute the acid so you may see a few vomit smelling repeats when feeding so much flour.  But it should change soon and become very quiet before yeasts take off.  Patience.

More on the other thread (double posting)

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/65224/my-ischia-sourdough-starter-smelling-foul-sourdocom-starter#comment-465758