The stink is leuconostoc bacteria on overdrive (usually accompanied by significant gluten degradation). It's not unusual for a culture to show this within 48 hours of initiating.
Mike is spot-on about sticking with the program and continuing to feed as normal.
As the pH drops in the culture, the leuconostoc-fest inevitably gives way to regular Lb growth which in turn encourages yeast propagation.
this thread helped me a lot in my activation to overcome the doubts within the first 48 stinky hours.
Just to reconfirm other newbies to Starters/Inschia Starters to keep cool.
- I sticked to the exact instructions of Ed Wood
- the first 48 hours were very stinky, sour (i tasted) and i got nervous as everyone new to the subject
- i sticked to the regime thanks to the forum and especially encouraged in this thread, that the stinky rotten smell in the first 48 h is not unusual
- splitted the culture, kept on feeding 1 cup of flour and 3/4 cup of water at 70F
- instead of discarding i splitted the culture to 4 jars and two kept on feeding like normal, one i washed then feeded and one i put lemon juice and feeded
- after two days the stinky smell disappeared
- now after 4 days three of the starters are doing well and growing after the feeding
- only one is not growing, still smelling good, but no foam development, so i put it back to 90 to acidify a bit and will bring back to 70F tomorrow.
Now finally, they are all basically smelling fresh, a scent of apple and a bit alcohol, sour in taste and growing after the last feeding.
even i am not an expert, i want to encourage everyone who is in doubt to keep sticking to the regime as instructed and not wash or panic too early. You can always discard the excess into a new jar, wash this and proof at 90F and try different things in my opinion while keeping the original close to the instructions.
thanks to all
