Tried making sourdough starter from scratch for the first time in 15 years

Back in 2009 I kept a starter alive for about 6 months before I just got tired of feeding it. Figured I'd give it another shot last week since my kids wanted to bake bread. Thought I remembered the basics but my kitchen is way colder in the winter than my old apartment was. Day 3 it smelled like nail polish remover and I almost tossed it. Let it ride for 2 more days and it finally got that tangy yeasty smell. The first loaf came out flat as a pancake though. Anybody else have their starter take way longer to get going the second time around?

2 comments

2 Comments

paul28624d ago

Day 3 nail polish remover smell means your starter hit the gym instead of the kitchen.

norab2124d ago

Cold kitchen means slower fermentation its basic science. You can't blame the starter for acting up when you're keeping it in a 60 degree room. People forget that yeast is literally alive and needs warmth to thrive. Nail polish smell is totally normal for day 3 that's just the bacterial battle phase before the good guys win. Flat loaf sounds like you didn't let it bulk ferment long enough or your starter wasn't active enough yet. A 15 year gap means you probably forgot how much patience sourdough actually takes, not that the starter itself is being difficult.