Hi all,
First time poster, first time started mum and hopefully a first time bread baker soon!
Frodough is now 11 days old, rising (but not falling?) beautifully on a 1:1:1 (ish) ratio feed every 12 hours.
Since day 8 he’s been fed sometime between 8-10am and 8-11pm each day. He’s able to double in size in this time and has lost is bubbles throughout and on the surface when I visit him to feed again.
He lives in the microwave with the door open and light on, glass jar with a loose lid. Silicone, plastic or wooden utensils to feed and mix and switch him to a freshly cleaned jar once a day.
On the whole, he looks and acts exactly how I would expect him to apart from the smell!! 😵
On days 3, 4 and 5 we had a major purge of bad bacteria and he smelled so bad I had to cover my nose to feed him - I assumed this was normal! 🤞🏼
Since then his growth has slowed, although now back up to doubling each day and the smell has subsided but is still there! Subtle (ish) when I stick my nose in but definitely noticeable when I give him a mix and pop his bubbles… 🥺
I’m unsure whether to put this down as a failed attempt and start again or to keep going.
I’m struggling to find much info on the smell he’s giving off… someone please help me 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you!
I think you were unlucky (or had a unlucky feeding scheme) and grew a good crop of highly unwanted bacteria. If your starter has become acidic enough by now they probably aren't multiplying any more - unless you are extra unlucky - but it doesn't take many smelly molecules to create a smell.
How long can the smell stick around? I can give you a reverse experience of mine. I once made a new starter in the conventional way except that it included a slice of apple. The starter gave off a fruity aroma that my standard starter never had. Over many months of refreshing, that fruitiness slowly wore off until I couldn't smell it any more.
All that time, both the fruity starter and my normal one behaved the same for making bread, and the breads didn't seem to taste any different to me.
So I could believe that your starter is fine and that it will take a long time for the stinkiness to wear off. Otoh, there's no way to be sure without trying it out to see if the product is without a bad smell (and other bad effects), and you may not want to try it.
All in all, it's probably best to start again building a new starter. This time, start out with an acidic liquid (not vinegar, as I understand it) instead of water, and canned pineapple juice is considered to be nearly ideal. That should suppress most of the unwanted bugs and jump-start the creation. You can go back to water after the first few days.
I wouldn't keep the working starter in a warm box like your microwave. That will only make it ferment faster than necessary after feeding, and that's probably not what you are looking for. Likewise, feeding a low ratio like 1:1:1 will cause faster fermentation
TomP
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond with advice and knowledge.
I’ll give it a bash 🤞🏼 and keep my fingers crossed that my luck improves 🤣
Here's some info on the pineapple juice method, part 1 and part 2.
Good luck!
Either - keep going till the smell is gone - or take a little and start another. Both will work - although I'm a fan of the start another. I forgot to add - so far so good. Enjoy!