Just dodged a huge mistake with my sourdough starter after a tip from a baker in Boise.

I was about to toss my starter because it had a layer of dark liquid on top after I neglected it for a week. Thought it was a sure sign of mold or death. But I remembered a baker I met at a market in Boise last fall who told me, 'That's just hooch, you idiot. Pour it off, feed it, and it'll come back.' I was skeptical, but I did exactly that. Fed it equal parts flour and water (50 grams each) twice over 48 hours, and it's bubbling like crazy now. Has anyone else revived a starter that looked completely gone? What's your 'last resort' feeding ratio?

3 comments

3 Comments

paulperry2mo ago

Why risk it with a dead starter?

-1

noahclark1mo ago

That's not exactly what a dead starter means though. A starter that's just gone quiet or looks inactive can often be revived with regular feedings, but a truly dead starter has mold or a bad smell like rot or alcohol. People mix up "dormant" with "dead" all the time in these discussions. A dormant starter just needs a few days of consistent flour and water to come back strong. A dead one has gone bad and can make you sick if you use it. So the real risk is knowing the difference, not just tossing everything that slows down.

mia_park2mo ago

Is it really that big of a risk? A lot of starters can be brought back with a simple feeding. I've done it myself more than once. It just takes a little patience and some flour. Seems like throwing it out is giving up too fast.