My sourdough starter went flat after a weekend away

I left my starter on the counter for two days while I visited my sister in Portland. When I got back, it looked sad and watery on top. I tried to feed it like normal, but it just wouldn't bubble up. I was sure I'd killed it after keeping it alive for six months. I ended up pouring off the liquid, taking just a tiny spoonful from the bottom, and mixing it with fresh flour and warm water. It took three more feeds over a full day, but it finally came back to life. I think the house was too warm and it ate all its food too fast. What do you guys do when you have to leave your starter alone?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_susan8d ago

Yeah, that watery hooch on top is a sure sign it's starving. I've had that happen when my kitchen got too hot. I do the same thing, pour off the liquid and just use a tiny bit of the paste from the bottom to restart. It feels like you're killing it, but it's tougher than it looks. Sometimes I'll stick mine in the fridge if I know I'll be gone more than a day, it slows everything way down.

hayden_nelson856d agoMost Upvoted

Ever think about the water you use? I had a starter go weird on me once, and it turned out my city did a chlorine flush in the pipes while I was gone. That stuff can knock the microbes out. Now if I'm leaving town, I feed it with bottled spring water or water I've left out overnight so the chlorine burns off. Just one less thing for it to fight while it's hungry.

wesley3858d ago

Portland is a long trip to stress over some flour and water. That starter is basically just wild yeast, right? It's not a pet that needs a babysitter.