• Reply by GinaG on January 20, 2012 at 10:05 pm
• 

Hey, Steven! How are you?

I do have some information for you...

At room temperature, during daily feedings, typically you'll see a layer of hooch at the bottom of your container, or near it. This is evidence of a very happily active starter. Once it is refrigerated, the flour settles to the bottom, the hooch rises to the top.

So why? Why the "waste" at the bottom? Because when we're feeding our starter and stir in a nice amount of oxygen, we promote activity we see from the top: All those foamy bubbles. Your starter is so active that you likely still have bubbles on the top for a couple to few days in the refrigerator. It's slower, but it's happening. Peek inside the container everyday.
You'll likely see pin-holes on the top of your starter.

I'd bet that if you didn't put the starter in the refrigerator, you would see evidence of a hooch forming at the bottom very shortly. I do, too. If memory serves me, you dump most of your starter prior to feedings, correct? This promotes more vigorous activity.

Many people don't get a hooch at all; some people only after storing it in the fridge and others get it quickly. It's very common to see it start from the bottom between room temp. feedings.

Once the hooch rises to the top, it won't settle to the bottom because there is no motion or means to "move it" back through the barrier.
Does that make sense?

~GinaG.

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• Reply by stevenc12 on January 21, 2012 at 7:55 am
• 

Hello, GinaG.

This makes sense. When I take it out to feed it before using it, I do dump the hootch and most of the starter. I then add more warmish water and flour and stand back. Within an hour or so, it's doubled in volume and has foam on the top. It's really activates quickly. I still usually wait and feed it one or two more times before making the leaven.

It took a while to get to this state. The first few months after I created the starter, it took three feedings to even look alive. But, a couple of months ago, it apparently figured out its purpose in life and really became active.

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• Reply by GinaG on January 21, 2012 at 2:42 pm
• 

Steven,

This isn't relevant to to your question, but I have a question for you, just out of pure curiosity:

Have you ever stirred up your starter, hooch and all prior to dumping? I'm wondering what effect this may have in flavoring your bread.

Congratulations on your starter, it sound like it's been well worth the effort!
I still haven't recovered from the triple-murder my father committed against mine: He damaged one 4 year-old; a 3 month old, then my 2 week-old infant. (SIGH)...I need to find a haven for my next "child," wish me luck.

Gina

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• Reply by GinaG on January 21, 2012 at 2:41 pm
• 

oops double post
Gina

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• Reply by stevenc12 on January 21, 2012 at 10:38 pm
• 

No, I never have just mixed the hootch back in. I'm aware of recipes that say to just "mix it back in" but I've never tried it. Since what I'm doing works, I'm not inclined to change what works.

However, if there are others out there who have mixed the hootch back in, I share your curiosity on what happens.

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• Reply by Harrison Brook on January 27, 2012 at 3:44 pm
• 

Too much alcohol will kill the yeast. If you want the high alcohol content, try a Belgian ale beer yeast. Make sure you lightly grease the shot glasses before baking your bread. ;)

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• Reply by lig40502 on March 11, 2012 at 12:41 pm
• 

What on earth is "hootch?" I've made my own starter in the past with varied results and it always forms a greenish/brownish liquid on top which I stirred down every day. The KA starter (just started my first) has been in the fridge for several days now and has the consistency of regular dough (like biscuit dough) and seems a bit gummy. After reading some of these posts I wonder if that's normal?

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• Reply by placebo on March 11, 2012 at 2:18 pm
• 

It's essentially yeast and bacteria poop. Its appearance is a sign that the starter is hungry.

When you say your starter is gummy, are you talking about right after it comes out of the refrigerator when it's still cold? If so, that's normal. The consistency will become thinner as it warms up.

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• Reply by placebo on March 11, 2012 at 2:26 pm
• 

I noticed something similar when I had to increase the hydration of the starter to try a new recipe, though this was with a starter kept on the counter. I maintain my starter at 100% hydration. The new starter was about 200% hydration.

It could be that you're just seeing the starter separate. Initially, it's just water, not hooch. There's stuff floating on top and stuff settled at the bottom. As the flour from the bottom of the top layer sinks and settles at the bottom, the layer of liquid appears to migrate upward.

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• Reply by lig40502 on March 12, 2012 at 4:15 pm
• 

I made two loaves of bread from my first batch of KA starter, following all directions (plus pix !) That was Mar 8, and its appearance has not changed since then - the smell is pleasingly sour, but the consistency is like a very heavy batter and when stirred it is thick, pulls away from the bowl and clings to the spoon. I'm planning to make another couple of loaves in the next few days but just don't know if this is normal. Previous 'homemade' starter has been like pancake batter and has the greenish stuff on top daily, but the smell was not as strong as this. Thanks.

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