Tried a new sourdough starter method after mine died for the 5th time

My last starter went moldy after I forgot to feed it for 3 days straight. I was ready to give up on sourdough completely. Then my neighbor across the street showed me her method on Saturday - she keeps hers in the fridge and only feeds it once a week. Said it's been going for 8 years now. I tried it Sunday and so far it's actually working. Has anyone else had luck with a low maintenance starter like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

lunakim1mo ago

...and that's exactly why I'd never do it that way. Look, I get that the low maintenance fridge thing sounds great on paper, but hear me out. Once a week feedings mean your starter isn't really active or bubbly like a room temp one, so when you finally do use it for bread, you're gonna get a much flatter loaf with less oven spring. I've seen so many people brag about their "easy" starter only to post pictures of pancakes instead of actual bread. Also, keeping it in the fridge that long between feeds lets the yeast slowly die off and the bacteria take over, so you're basically just fermenting a jar of sour goo instead of building a healthy culture. Different strokes, I guess, but if you really want that tangy flavor and high rise, you gotta put in the daily work otherwise you're just making flavored paste.

jadew631mo ago

You know what, you actually convinced me here. I was totally team "fridge starter forever" because it seemed so easy, but I never connected the flat loaves to that method before. Definitely rethinking my whole setup now after reading this.

dakota_nelson431mo ago

Feeling your pain dude, that flat loaf struggle is real lol.