Water in starter

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Mina.

Welcome to the Scoolinary community! Thank you for your question.

Here are some insights into what might be happening with your starter:

The water on the surface of your sourdough starter can be caused by several factors:

<b style=”background-color: var(–bb-content-background-color); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; color: var(–bb-body-text-color);”> Liquid separation (hooch): It’s common for a sourdough starter to form a liquid called “hooch” when the yeast runs out of food. This happens if it has gone too long without being fed. This liquid is a byproduct of fermentation and may appear clear or slightly dark.

Unbalanced hydration: If your mixture has a higher-than-usual water content, some of the liquid may separate from the solids.

Ambient temperature: If the temperature where you keep your starter is high, it can speed up yeast activity, causing it to consume nutrients faster and produce this liquid.

Lack of feeding: If you haven’t fed your starter in the past few days, it’s likely “hungry.” This slows down its activity, and water starts to accumulate on the surface.

What you can do:

-Stir and feed: Mix the liquid back into the rest of the starter and feed it with equal parts flour and water (e.g., 50 g each). This will reactivate the yeast and healthy bacteria.

-Feeding frequency: Adjust how often you feed your starter based on the temperature and its activity (1–2 times a day if kept at room temperature).

-Controlled temperature: If it’s warm, you could refrigerate your starter to slow down its activity.

Keep in mind that each type of flour behaves and reacts differently. By applying these tips, your starter should improve.

I hope this information helps.

Best regards!

[Mina Kalajdzic]

Thank you.

it is first day of starter. Water was scaled properly, maybe temperature.

i don’t think starter is hungry

i will try some of your tips

thank you

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Mina.

Great! Remember that during the first few days, it’s normal for a sourdough starter to show little to no activity, which doesn’t mean it’s bad or dead. Some starters are more active as they mature or as the days go by. I always say that every sourdough starter has its own unique personality 😅.

Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions—I’ll be happy to help you out!

Best regards.