I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

I dug out the jar of starter from the back of the fridge Saturday and
scraped off and discarded the top 2/3, added some warm water and flour
and sat it on the kitchen counter. It had been neglected all summer. A
few hours later it already smelled sour and alcoholic had a layer of
"hooch" on top. I poured that off and fed it again. Sunday, it was
looking a little bubbly so I made a batch of dough (1 pound flour, 1 cup
water, 1 tsp salt, about 3/4 cups starter.) I knew I was rushing it.
This morning, the dough still hasn't risen, although it does smell
soured -- not necessarily in a good way.

It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not
sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch. Of course those
are not mutually exclusive; I can maintain 2 starters for a while.

Unless the dough rises today while I'm at work, I will probably try
making flatbreads with it on a griddle. If they don't turn out, at
least the dogs will still love 'em.

--
Bob

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Oct 1, 9:26*am, zxcvbob > wrote:
> I dug out the jar of starter from the back of the fridge Saturday and
> scraped off and discarded the top 2/3, added some warm water and flour
> and sat it on the kitchen counter. *It had been neglected all summer. *A
> few hours later it already smelled sour and alcoholic had a layer of
> "hooch" on top. *I poured that off and fed it again. *Sunday, it was
> looking a little bubbly so I made a batch of dough (1 pound flour, 1 cup
> water, 1 tsp salt, about 3/4 cups starter.) *I knew I was rushing it.
> This morning, the dough still hasn't risen, although it does smell
> soured -- not necessarily in a good way.
>
> It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. *Not
> sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch. *Of course those
> are not mutually exclusive; I can maintain 2 starters for a while.
>
> Unless the dough rises today while I'm at work, I will probably try
> making flatbreads with it on a griddle. *If they don't turn out, at
> least the dogs will still love 'em.
>
> --
> Bob

I made a starter about 8 years ago, but had not been using it for
awhile. The last time I checked on it, it had turned kinda nasty, so I
tossed it out- a very hard thing to do after all the babying it got. I
did dry some when it was in the newer part of it's life, so I need to
see if I can wake it up...

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob > wrote:

>It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not

Funerals are very expensive. You might consider cremation for your
sourdough starter instead.

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
wrote:

>
>It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not
>sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch.

Just re feed it, and keep it at around 30c. As soon as it
wakes up, "wash it". (see FAQs)
[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

Shadow wrote:
> On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
> wrote:
>
>> It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not
>> sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch.
>
> Just re feed it, and keep it at around 30c. As soon as it
> wakes up, "wash it". (see FAQs)
> []'s
> --
> Don't be evil - Google 2004
> We have a new policy - Google 2012


I think the starter has awakened. By Sunday or Monday I should be
baking bread again.

I didn't see anything in the FAQ about "washing" the starter, but I did
read about feeding the starter and I've been doing it wrong all this
time (not throwing out enough, and not adding enough new flour and
water, so the starter is always inhibited by its own acid.)

--
Bob

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Oct 5, 9:15*am, zxcvbob > wrote:
> Shadow wrote:
> > On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
> > wrote:
>
> >> It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. *Not
> >> sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch.
>
> > * *Just re feed it, and keep it at around 30c. As soon as it
> > wakes up, "wash it". (see FAQs)
> > * *[]'s
> > --
> > Don't be evil - Google 2004
> > We have a new policy - Google 2012
>
> I think the starter has awakened. *By Sunday or Monday I should be
> baking bread again.
>
> I didn't see anything in the FAQ about "washing" the starter, but I did
> read about feeding the starter and I've been doing it wrong all this
> time (not throwing out enough, and not adding enough new flour and
> water, so the starter is always inhibited by its own acid.)
>
> --
> Bob

Your post made me try to refresh my dried starter- I only used about a
TBLS and have been feeding it for the last few days. I think it's
waking up!

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:14:56 -0500, zxcvbob >
wrote:

>Shadow wrote:
>> On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not
>>> sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch.
>>
>> Just re feed it, and keep it at around 30c. As soon as it
>> wakes up, "wash it". (see FAQs)
>> []'s
>> --
>> Don't be evil - Google 2004
>> We have a new policy - Google 2012
>
>
>I think the starter has awakened. By Sunday or Monday I should be
>baking bread again.
>
>I didn't see anything in the FAQ about "washing" the starter, but I did
>read about feeding the starter and I've been doing it wrong all this
>time (not throwing out enough, and not adding enough new flour and
>water, so the starter is always inhibited by its own acid.)

I always chuck the hooch ...

BTW, though I don't agree to everything there, this is a great
site for beginners:

http://www.sourdoughhome.com

Read this article:

http://www.sourdoughhome.com/revivingastarter.html

[]'s
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Oct 5, 9:27*am, Shadow > wrote:
> On Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:14:56 -0500, zxcvbob >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >Shadow wrote:
> >> On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
> >> wrote:
>
> >>> It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. *Not
> >>> sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch.
>
> >> * * * *Just re feed it, and keep it at around 30c. As soon as it
> >> wakes up, "wash it". (see FAQs)
> >> * * * *[]'s
> >> --
> >> Don't be evil - Google 2004
> >> We have a new policy - Google 2012
>
> >I think the starter has awakened. *By Sunday or Monday I should be
> >baking bread again.
>
> >I didn't see anything in the FAQ about "washing" the starter, but I did
> >read about feeding the starter and I've been doing it wrong all this
> >time (not throwing out enough, and not adding enough new flour and
> >water, so the starter is always inhibited by its own acid.)
>
> * * * * I always chuck the hooch ...
>
> * * * * BTW, though I don't agree to everything there, this is a great
> site for beginners:
>
> * * * *http://www.sourdoughhome.com
>
> * * * * Read this article:
>
> * * * *http://www.sourdoughhome.com/revivingastarter.html
>
> * * * * []'s
> --
> Don't be evil - Google 2004
> We have a new policy - Google 2012

Good info- thanks!

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

Bob why do you put in the fridge unless you want to stop the action of
the yeast.

On Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:26:01 -0500, zxcvbob >
wrote:

>I dug out the jar of starter from the back of the fridge Saturday and
>scraped off and discarded the top 2/3, added some warm water and flour
>and sat it on the kitchen counter. It had been neglected all summer. A
>few hours later it already smelled sour and alcoholic had a layer of
>"hooch" on top. I poured that off and fed it again. Sunday, it was
>looking a little bubbly so I made a batch of dough (1 pound flour, 1 cup
>water, 1 tsp salt, about 3/4 cups starter.) I knew I was rushing it.
>This morning, the dough still hasn't risen, although it does smell
>soured -- not necessarily in a good way.
>
>It's like the yeast died but the lactic bacteria is still there. Not
>sure if I should keep feeding it, or start a new batch. Of course those
>are not mutually exclusive; I can maintain 2 starters for a while.
>
>Unless the dough rises today while I'm at work, I will probably try
>making flatbreads with it on a griddle. If they don't turn out, at
>least the dogs will still love 'em.

I think my sourdough starter died :(
 

On Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:11:44 -0400, Robert Lee Shameless Myers I Esq.
> wrote:

>Bob why do you put in the fridge unless you want to stop the action of
>the yeast.

Because he wants to slow down the action of the yeast and the
bacteria. It's what fridges are for.
[]'s
>
>On Mon, 01 Oct 2012
--
Don't be evil - Google 2004
We have a new policy - Google 2012