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My sourdough starter went bad right before a big bake
I was getting ready to make two loaves for a family dinner tomorrow, and my starter that I've had for months just smelled like nail polish. I had to run to the store for instant yeast and change my whole plan at the last minute. Has this ever happened to you right before you needed it?
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phoenixb341mo agoMost Upvoted
That nail polish smell is the worst. Did you feed it at a weird time?
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susan6491mo ago
Was it really warm in your kitchen lately? I read somewhere that heat makes the bad bacteria grow faster than the yeast. That nail polish smell is acetone, so the starter basically turned into vinegar. It's a total gut punch when you've been keeping it alive for so long. At least you could switch to instant yeast and save the bake.
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murray.drew1mo ago
Check your feeding schedule first because that acetone smell usually means it's hungry. Try feeding it twice a day for a couple days to see if it recovers. I've saved a starter that way more than once.
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