Appreciation post: my sourdough starter after 18 months of neglect

I had a jar of starter in the back of my fridge that I forgot about for a year and a half. I was about to toss it when I read something online about how resilient wild yeast can be. So I scraped off the dark liquid on top, took a tiny spoonful from the bottom, and fed it with equal parts flour and water. Three days later it was bubbling like nothing ever happened. The bread I baked with it yesterday had this deep, tangy flavor I never got from my younger starters. It really surprised me how much character comes from a culture that's been through some rough times. Has anyone else resurrected a starter after a really long break

3 comments

3 Comments

adams.uma1mo ago

That dark liquid on top is called hooch, right? Happy your starter pulled through.

jadej501mo ago

I read somewhere that the hooch is basically alcohol from the yeast going dormant when the starter runs out of food. It's a good reminder to feed it more often. Some people say if it smells like nail polish remover that means it's really hungry, but a little hooch is normal.

paulw531mo ago

Read somewhere that the darker the hooch the more sour the starter will be, so yours was probably marinating in some potent stuff. Glad it woke back up for you!