The Fresh Loaf

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Start over sourdough starter?

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

Start over sourdough starter?

My starter is maybe 9 months old but has gone downhill since 2 months ago when I left it in the fridge for 3 weeks and then refreshed it with water from an unclean bowl. It had already smelled of acetone whenever I took it out of the fridge but always did fine when I refreshed it and smelled fruity when I refreshed enough. After the unclean bowl, it now has a funky smell that reminds of cheez its sometimes or what I think beer might smell like during fermentation. I've already switched to a clean jar but that didn't do anything. I've been trying to feed it every day since then, tried multiple combinations of 1:1:1, 1:2:2, 1:3:3, etc switched to bottled water, but not only does it rise slow, it still has the smells and bit of acetone. Tried apple cider vinegar for a couple days, it rose a lot higher but the cheesy smell returned after I stopped and stopped rising as much. I have baked once with it before and it works but no sourness or flavor unlike before.

 

I've read many posts but no conclusions so far and wondering if I should just start over. Any advice is appreciated as I've spent a lot of flour trying to return it back to where it was before.

Kistida's picture
Kistida

what kind of flour are you using and the temperature of your water? 

This is what I did when I left my 100% starter in the fridge for over 2 weeks while I was starting a stiff starter (more forgiving than a 100% one):

There was a layer of hooch and she (yea I call mine Prune) seemed so sluggish and smelled of alcohol. After discarding more than half (leaving only 30g) and feeding 4 times over the course of 2 days she was “happy” and bubbly again - for these two days I used warm filtered water (35-40°C) and 1:1 unbleached white:whole wheat flours. When she’s back to normal, I use only white flour. 

The kitchen is relatively cool these days so I feed, cover with plastic (poke a tiny hole so no vapor condenses on it) and leave her in the oven with the light on to “wake her up”.  Otherwise she gets bubbly just by sitting on the counter 6-8 hours (21-25°C). Also i weigh my containers and leave a note on it. This way it’s easy to know how much starter is left and how much to discard before feeding. 

Good luck in saving your starter. :)

 

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

I'm using unbleached bread flour, room temperature water. Weather is cool these days so trying the warm water to see. No significant change yet. I don't have whole wheat yet but give a try if no success after a week. Thanks!

phaz's picture
phaz

Standard procedure, little starter, lots and lots of food, keep warm, stir, and give it time. Feed it something like 50 to 1 and just stir till it gets back to normal. May take a week but it'll be ok. Enjoy! 

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

I'll give it a try! Been doing it since you suggested but still waiting for that fruity aroma to come back. Amazed though that it'll still rise with such a high ratio.

phaz's picture
phaz

 When it stops rising it'll be ready, and truly strong Enjoy!

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

It's been a week and tried feeding it whole wheat and 30:1 flour to starter ratio 100% hydration but still has the same odd cheesy (maybe super yeasty?) smell instead of a fruity fermented smell. It rises but not sure if it's the right bacteria/yeast. I noticed my old discards from 2 weeks ago don't have hooch either. Is this normal or should I just toss it?

phaz's picture
phaz

Aromas can be subjective, but i always associate cheese with starting a starter, like the first couple 3 days. Describe what you've done and are doing daily to it. This shouldn't be that hard! I've brought back starters left in the fridge for up to a year and a half, under the multicolored mold and who knows what else was life. Took a week or so but it came back. More info is gooder info. Enjoy! 

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

Pretty much for a week I would discard most of the starter mid morning till like 1-2 g and then feed it 30g bread flour 30g bottled water. Let it sit by the window where it is the warmest with a paper bag over it (it is before 70 in the house) during the day and then in the kitchen at night. Stir it at least 2 times throughout the day. I started using whole wheat 2 days ago. Early on it would take a bit more than 24hrs to rise and fall. Last two days it is fallen by morning possibly getting used to the whole wheat. The flours were purchased maybe 2 months ago. I can take a picture tonight as well. 

phaz's picture
phaz

I see the problem. I'll say something was lost in the translation. I recommended a 1 to 30 feed, once, and stir till it returns to normal, not a 1 to 30 daily feed. I mentioned cheese smell and early stages of starter creation, your basically starting a new starter every day. So, no more food until it stops rising. Just stir vigorously couple times a day. How much it rises and how long it takes, when it peaks and falls - all irrelevant. Stir till it stops rising or there is a little rise after 12 hrs, then return to a normal feed. Enjoy! 

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

I see. Will try that then! Thank you!

phaz's picture
phaz

Nah, it was really me, but you're on track now. Enjoy!

jazzzy123's picture
jazzzy123

Just to update, starter smells better! I haven't been able to dedicate a lot of time to strengthening it but tried to make bread this weekend and looks alright! It's a small loaf (300g flour), need to work on shaping and didn't rise as high as the picture makes it seem. Haven't cut it open so curious to see if it wasn't fermented or proofed enough. Thanks Phaz for your tip!

phaz's picture
phaz

Looks like it's a starter by the results.  "Strengthening" the starter - if you've been going by the little rise after 24 hrs with stirring every 12 hrs, it's about as "strong"  as it'll get. That method was designed with strength in mind. Hint - all doubling or tripling means is there a lot of food ie. a high ratio of food to critters. Strength is a high number of critters for a given mass. And as always, make more bread, and hit more golf balls! Enjoy!