Has the bread starter gone bad?!


Question: Has the bread starter gone bad!?
Hi
I made my first starter about a year ago!.
It's mostly white flour with some rye flour mixed in!.
It's always had a light brown color because of the rye in it, but now it looks darker!.
The smell is still the same , it has about one inch of liquid on topfrom the last feeding!. It's kept in the back of the fridge in a glass jar with a cloth and a lid on top!.
The problem is , it has a bit of a different look to it!. There is a light brown substance in the liquid this time!. In other words----it's not clear!.
Has the starter gone bad!?Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
If it has been a while since you last freshened your starter, it may not be "bad", but just over run and tired!. The liquid you describe on the top sounds like hooch, an alcoholic, sour liquid!.

I would take a small portion of the starter and make a fresh starter with it!. Stir the existing starter together to get it mixed all the way through!. Take a 1/4 cup of the existing starter and add to it 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water!. Let this stand at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours and then feed once more!. This time feed with 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water!. Let this stand at room temperature for another 8 to 12 hours!. At this point the new starter should smell yeasty and sour in a good way!. If so, you can start to use the freshened starter and discard the old tired starter!.

Sour dough starters are best when used frequently and refreshed on a regular schedule!.

Hope that this helps!Www@FoodAQ@Com





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