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Mold on my starter or the beginning of hooch?

AbbyM02's picture
AbbyM02

Mold on my starter or the beginning of hooch?

I started my new sourdough starter 7 days ago and at first it was rising after feeding on day 2, then it stopped. After troubleshooting on day 5 I decided I was more than likely over feeding and needed to leave it be for 2 days. I go to feed it after that and see this, is it mold or just hooch from not being fed? I've never made a starter before nor had one so I'm not sure. 

Abe's picture
Abe

Can you point it out to me? Always better safe than sorry of there is red or pinkish mould. If you ever see that then throw it out, thoroughly sterilise and start again. What I see is the top layer looks milky but not mouldy. 

Scrape the discoloured top off. Then feed 2:1:1 every 24 hours or every 12 hours if it shows some activity. 

Once it bubbles up every time then slowly increase the feeds. 

AbbyM02's picture
AbbyM02

I was talking about the round shaped spots, I never seen that before on it. Even when it bubbled. But I took your advice as it didn't look like mold after scraping and stirring it. The starter recipe I have says to save 1/2 cup of the starter, then feed 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup flour. Is that a wrong proportion? Maybe that's why it's low in activity. Thank you!

Abe's picture
Abe

Or are you talking about the greyish area? Let me see...

  • 1/2 cup starter is about 114g 
  • 1/4 cup water is about 60g
  • 1/2 cup flour is about 60g

Slightly more than 2:1:1 which is an ok feed for this stage. 

Keep it warm and feed with this ratio once every 24 hours. If there is a lot of activity then every 12 hours. If there is no activity at all then skip a feed. 

If it's warm where you are then no harm in once every 24 hours. It should respond well. Add some wholegrain flour in the feed. 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

popped bubbles to me and the channels the gas made rising to the surface was backfilled by clear amber colored liquid (most likely separating water stained from bran.)  

I wouldnt be too worried about it. Give it a stir.