Sourdough Starter

[Callum91]

So smelling like vomit is normal? Lovely.

 

[badseed]

So smelling like vomit is normal? Lovely.

Acetone is the smell you want.

 

[xslavearcx]

The Pizza thread contains this stunning image from DieselBar.

Having sat and drooled over it for a couple os weeks I have decided to make sourdough or more specifically a sourdough starter.

So after a bit of googling I have found that it is fairly simple to do using this method - http://sourdough.com/blog/sourdom/beginners-blog-starter-scratch

So Day 1, I sanitised a glass jar and loaded up on organic flour from the supermarket.
And were off...

Hopefully only about 10 days from pizza heaven

Jeezo that thing is in a league of its own

 

[Callum91]

Acetone is the smell you want.

I'm still on children's vomit odor as of 5 minutes ago. It's also become noticeably more liquid and looser than it was yesterday. I'll feed it today in a few hours and see what another 24 hours does to my new pet. All being well I should be at the baking stage by the middle of next week (assuming my starter doesn't go bad).

 

[Schmetterling]

Jealous!

 

[Part 2]

Acetone is the smell you want.

Nah, acetone is pre-beery/brew smell. Once I got the yeasty brewery smell my loaves were much better.

 

[Callum91]

Nah, acetone is pre-beery/brew smell. Once I got the yeasty brewery smell my loaves were much better.

Is a vomit like smell normal? I've been Googling and the early reading isn't good, some sites suggest that it might be contaminated but others say it might improve with time. Should I feed it again?

 

[Part 2]

If you see earlier in the thread I went through a similar process worrying about the smell etc but it was okay in the end. I was reading different stuff here there and everywhere. I think I chucked most of mine away and left a desert spoonful in the container to re-feed figuring the more I diluted the bad stuff the more likely I was to get the good. It wasn't that scientific tbh.

I think it might be a bit easier to go off while the weather's warm mind.

 

[killer b]

back in the game, lads.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Going to get a starter going myself

One question - When in the fridge, can it be air tight? I've got a large le parfait jar, but our fridge is too small, so the jar would have to be sealed air tight & laid on its side.

 

[killer b]

yes.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Cheers. Going off the starter link in the OP, they're just putting clingfilm over the jar - does the starter have to be able to breath during this initial process? or can it be air tight too?

 

[killer b]

no, it needs to be able to breathe when it's 'active'

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Sourdough bread here come!

 

[Mr.Bishie]

The starter has begun!

Does this like an ok recipe?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/classic_sourdough_21029

 

[killer b]

Looks fine to me Mr.Bishie. Crack on!

 

[Mr.Bishie]

On day 7 going off the OP link, & nothing's happened at all yet? Am I being impatient?

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Still nothing. Do I persevere for another week? Or start again with a different white flour?

killer b? Anyone?

 

[killer b]

i'd start again if you've had no movement yet mate. it doesn't always take first time.

 

[Part 2]

Second what kb says.

Also I think it's probably harder to get going in the cooler weather. Where are you keeping it?

I've got a loaf in the oven right now

 

[Mr.Bishie]

It's in the kitchen, but during the day/night when the heatings off it's below 20degC.

Will it be fruitful to start again with this cold snap coming?

 

[Part 2]

I think I read somewhere that 16 degrees was fine.

tbh I wasn't very scientific with mine, it did seem to take a while to get going.

Are you doing the daily feeding thing? dumping most of it, leaving a spoonful in and putting more in etc

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Yep, done everything as per the OP. Would it make a difference as to how much you need to dump? I'm leaving a tablespoon (maybe a bit more earlier on)

How long did yours take Chip Barm ?

 

[Mr.Bishie]

The acetone smell coming from it just now is as strong as ever! Going to give it a few more days.

 

[Part 2]

Persevere with it, the smell says there's something going on even if it doesn't look like it. Looking back in the thread I was ready to give up about the same time, then it started to work.

I made my first pizzas 12 days after I put the first flour and water in the jar.

 

[fogbat]

I don't know whether I've ever eaten proper sourdough bread.

Was given a bit to try recently, but it had a really cakey texture, like gluten free bread. Is that normal?

 

[killer b]

No. Might be if it hasn't risen properly i guess?

 

[fogbat]

No. Might be if it hasn't risen properly i guess?

Thought so - cheers. I've been planning to do my own starter for a while, but wouldn't bother if that was the result.

 

[killer b]

ime it makes a fairly open textured loaf, not cakey at all. there is a fairly distinctive sour tang to the taste, which is stronger the longer you leave it to rise - so it's better for savoury sandwiches rather than jam butties...

 

[Mr.Bishie]

It's bubbling! For the first time, it's bubbling!