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That time my sourdough starter grew legs and walked away
I left my starter on the counter in Denver for 3 days while I went to a workshop and came back to a jar overflowing with liquid that smelled like a science lab. The thing had actually lifted the lid off and there was a puddle of hooch running down the side of my cabinet. I just scooped out the good part from the bottom and fed it fresh flour and water, and somehow it still works fine. Has anyone else had a starter survive something that gross?
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wright.jesse1mo ago
Damn, you just left it sitting out for three days in Denver? That place is dry as hell, I'm surprised it didn't just turn into a brick. That amount of hooch is wild though, mine has never pulled that kind of stunt. I've had mine go a week in the fridge and come out smelling like nail polish remover, but a liquid science experiment on the counter is a whole new level. Honestly, I think starters are just too stubborn to die, they'll survive anything you throw at them.
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dylan_thompson1mo ago
...watered it down with some fresh flour and water and it came right back. I've definitely had starters survive worse than that. The hooch layer is actually a sign it's still alive, just really hungry. Denver's elevation messes with fermentation times too, so three days on the counter there is basically like a week somewhere else. As long as you're not seeing mold or pink streaks, that starter is fine.
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the_sandra1mo ago
Leave that hooch layer alone next time, just pour it off before you feed it and your starter will bounce right back. Denver altitude makes everything ferment faster, so even a day and a half on the counter there is risky business.
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