Is my starter ok to use

[halfprice]

Ive had my ischia starter for ten years.   I keep it in the fridge and feed it when needed.  We did a two month motorhome trip and i forgot to revive it after returning. Another month passed before i saw it in the back of the fridge and three days ago i took it out.    It has very little hooch and a gray layer on top.    I've never had this gray layer before.  And it smelled like a**   very bad smell.    I removed as much gray off the top and almost threw it away.  I decided to give it a wash.    I font have measurements but I filled the small container with water, mixed it up and poured out half, turn fed.    12 hours later there were a few bubbles and it stilled smelled bad.  Did another wash.   Smell went away.  It now smells how Its suppose to and nice and bubbles.  Rising well. So it's active 

So it's back how it was but I'm worried the gray was mold and might still be in the starter eventhough it's active again

Thoughts???

Thanks Jerry

[ARenko]

Ive had my ischia starter for ten years.  I keep it in the fridge and feed it when needed.  We did a two month motorhome trip and i forgot to revive it after returning. Another month passed before i saw it in the back of the fridge and three days ago i took it out.    It has very little hooch and a gray layer on top.    I've never had this gray layer before.  And it smelled like a**  very bad smell.    I removed as much gray off the top and almost threw it away.  I decided to give it a wash.    I font have measurements but I filled the small container with water, mixed it up and poured out half, turn fed.    12 hours later there were a few bubbles and it stilled smelled bad.  Did another wash.  Smell went away.  It now smells how Its suppose to and nice and bubbles.  Rising well. So it's active

So it's back how it was but I'm worried the gray was mold and might still be in the starter eventhough it's active again

Thoughts???

Thanks Jerry

If it smells fine and is active I don't think you have any problems.

I neglected mine for about 9 months recently.  It smelled strongly of vinegar.  I stirred in the hooch and fed it.  It took several days, but it's back and just fine.  I think it a long time to come back partly because I was feeding it 1:1:1.  As soon as I dropped it to 1:5:5 (starter/flour/water) it took off. 

[halfprice]

If it smells fine and is active I don't think you have any problems.

I neglected mine for about 9 months recently.  It smelled strongly of vinegar.  I stirred in the hooch and fed it.  It took several days, but it's back and just fine.  I think it a long time to come back partly because I was feeding it 1:1:1.  As soon as I dropped it to 1:5:5 (starter/flour/water) it took off. 

I had a back up to my main starter i only fed once every six months.    It had a strong smell but not the bad smell this one had.  The bad smell was my real concern

Jerry

[ARenko]

I had a back up to my main starter i only fed once every six months.    It had a strong smell but not the bad smell this one had.  The bad smell was my real concern

Jerry

Somehow I missed that it smelled like ass. I'd have been worried about that, but if it smells fine now it's probably ok. Do you still have your backup?

[halfprice]

Somehow I missed that it smelled like ass. I'd have been worried about that, but if it smells fine now it's probably ok. Do you still have your backup?

No after years of having it and never using it i dumped it.  But I did dry and freeze some so I could always revive that.   But I'd like to keep my main one going.  It's tripling in size in about eight hours. Smell is gone

Jerry

[ARenko]

No after years of having it and never using it i dumped it.  But I did dry and freeze some so I could always revive that.  But I'd like to keep my main one going.  It's tripling in size in about eight hours. Smell is gone

Jerry

If it passes the smell test...