My homemade sourdough starter died after I left it on the counter during that heatwave

I've been feeding this starter for about 8 months, named it Betty and everything. Last Tuesday we had that 95 degree day and I forgot to put her in the fridge before I left for my shift. Came home 10 hours later and there was this gray liquid on top and it smelled like nail polish remover. I tried feeding it twice but nothing bubbled up after 24 hours. Has anyone managed to revive a starter that got that hot, or should I just start over from scratch?

2 comments

2 Comments

daniel59314d ago

Nah, she's gone dude. Start a fresh one.

tyler_wilson14d ago

Did you try giving Betty a little funeral or just dump her straight in the trash lol? Honestly though, once they get that gray liquid and the acetone smell, it's pretty much game over. I've killed two starters myself doing exactly this, and no amount of extra feeding brought them back. The heat basically cooks the yeast and good bacteria, and the hooch is just their sad little ghost saying goodbye. Save yourself the trouble and start a new one, just ditch the name Betty this time so you don't get too attached again lmao.