A sourdough starter has liquid on top means the starter just needs more flour to feed it. The hooch is harmless. Simply stir it back into the starter and feed it with fresh flour and water.
If you see hooch on top of your starter, you can simply stir it straight into the starter, and feed your starter the way you normally would. There is no need to drain the hooch out. (This can complicate your hydration levels).
The dark liquid is a form of naturally occurring alcohol known as hooch, which indicates that your sourdough starter is hungry. Hooch is harmless but should be poured off and discarded prior to stirring and feeding your starter.
You must discard some of your sourdough starter each time you feed it. You'll discover that discarding is necessary to build a healthy and thriving sourdough starter - but it's not actually as wasteful as you might think.
If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.
Feed the starter 1/2 cup (4 ounces, 113g) water and a scant 1 cup (4 ounces, 113g) all-purpose flour twice a day, discarding all but 1/2 cup (4 ounces, 113g) of the starter before each feeding. It should soon become healthy, bubbly, and active.
What should I do if there is hooch on top of my starter? A sourdough starter has liquid on top means the starter just needs more flour to feed it. The hooch is harmless. Simply stir it back into the starter and feed it with fresh flour and water.
Can I Add Discard From Different Days To The Same Jar? Yes, you can add different batches of sourdough discard to the same jar. Ideally, you should use the discard within a week or 2, however, if you are adding fresh discard each day, it will lengthen the amount of time you can store it for.
One approach is to save up all this discard in one container in the fridge in what I like to call a sourdough starter cache. Then, use all this at once in a starter discard recipe or my sourdough waffles, pancakes, or banana bread at the end of the week.
Myth 7: You can't overfeed sourdough starter.
While starters do need regular feeding, it is possible to overfeed one. Each time you feed a starter, you thin out the population of microorganisms by adding flour and water. The remaining yeasts and bacteria eat the new flour and multiply, rebuilding the population.
A sourdough starter can either be kept at room temperature or in the fridge. If you aren't intending to use your sourdough starter every day, it is best kept in the fridge.
Discard will keep for about 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator. At this point, it may start to develop a grey liquid on top (hooch) and will be more acidic giving any baked good an intense tangy flavor. Freezer: I personally have not tried this method but some do freeze their starter discard.
Your sourdough starter will survive without direct access to oxygen because it is an anaerobic fermentation process, meaning it does not need oxygen to occur. While your sourdough starter doesn't actually breathe and therefore can have the lid sitting on the jar, it can benefit from fresh air.
I prefer to use my discard within 7 days of keeping it in the fridge, otherwise, you risk too much sour flavor! To use sourdough discard that's been stored in the fridge, place it on the counter to warm up for 2-3 hours before using.
For pre-digestion of the grains through fermentation, discarded sourdough can be used as well as fresh starter. The discarded starter is added to additional flour and liquid and fermented for 12-24 hours.
Even when you make efforts to reduce your sourdough discard, you will still have some to deal with. You never want to wash it down the drain because it will definitely clog up your pipes. But if you absolutely don't want to do anything with it, you can throw it in the trash.
The very short answer is, your sourdough starter generally will be at its peak anything between 4 and 12 hours after feeding. The optimum time to use it will be when there are lots of bubbles at its surface and it has has physically risen to its peak level, just before deflating back down again.
A mature sourdough starter will reach its peak around 2 to 4 hours after being fed. If it's particularly cold, or you've given it a huge feeding ratio, this could be extended to 12 hours.
Oxygen: Fermenting sourdough starters will produce carbon dioxide. The starter should be loosely covered in order to safely release the gas, but the culture does not require oxygen.
Have you ever wondered whether you have to clean your sourdough starter jar? The simple answer is you don't need to clean your sourdough jar. It's just not necessary to clean your jar all that regularly, unless it's super crusty or you can't get your starter out or fresh flour and water in.
According to Pellegrinelli, refrigerated sourdough starter should be covered tightly. If you're storing the sourdough starter on the counter, she suggests covering it loosely with fabric and a rubber band or parchment paper and the screw ring of a jar.
As part of the feeding process, most bakers discard some of their sourdough starter before adding fresh flour and water to the jar. This is done to refresh the acidity levels (think sweet vs. sour smell) and to manage its overall growth in size. This technique is crucial for successful sourdough bread.
I do NOT recommend storing your sourdough starter or discard in a jar with an airtight lid that clamps closed unless you're using your starter more than once a week. Those need to be "burped" (opened) regularly to let gas out. Sourdough starter can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge.
The oldest known sourdough starter is said to have originated from clay pots unearthed in Egypt. Seamus Blackley baked a loaf of sourdough bread using yeast harvested from 4500 year old clay pots. If you want to read more about this 4500 year old sourdough starter, go here.
It is better to keep your sourdough starter out of direct sunlight. While the warmth of a sunny window sill will certainly enhance the growth of the wild yeast and bacteria, the direct sunlight can do more harm than good.