50 Ways to Kill Your Starter

This video explores the topic that every sourdough baker fears -- accidentally killing your starter. We explore the most common (and uncommon) was to kill a sourdough starter, and demonstrate how to revive a starter after many of the most common mishaps, including:
Sections in this video:
0:00 Introduction
3:30 Five Feeding Rule
7:46 The Experiments
8:37 Preheating
14:25 Burning
19:33 Drowning
23:40 Scalding
26:04 Suffocation
28:22 Starvation
35:00 Foreign Invasion
38:38 Agitation
40:41 Forced Feeding
42:11 Microwaving
41:49 Freezing
53:33 UV Rays
54:31 Mold
1:02:51 Chlorination
1:07:04 Conclusion
1:07:40 Bonus Topic: Cloning (Dehydrating)
1:10:28 Epilogue
We also demonstrate techniques for removing the wrong ingredients from your starter using the 5 Feeding Rule. And the video includes a bonus section on starter dehydration.
Some people have clever names for their starters. In this video, the starters are anthropomorphic in a unique way.
I hope you will find this video educational and entertaining.
Tom Cucuzza
The Sourdough Journey
Cleveland, Ohio
==================== NEW WEBSITE =====================
CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE thesourdoughjourney.com
======================================================

[@DeForestRanger]

I've been making sourdough bread for over fifty years (generally every 10-14 days). I "killed" my first starter with contaminated water (it grew pink mold). I've been using my current starter for about twenty years now, and keep it in the fridge between Bread Days. Recently, I thought I'd killed it when my fridge got too cold, but using your 5-feeding technique, I brought it back to full strength. Your channel has taught me things I never knew about sourdough starters, and this video in particular has had me laughing and wide-eyed with amazement at what a starter can survive. They say that once humans are gone, ants and cockroaches will become the dominant species on Earth. I think they need to add sourdough starter into that list!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I enjoyed making that video.

[@beastsoccerninjaalic]

I am CRACKING UP at "this starter says....TRY THE BROILER NEXT TIME"

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. 😉

[@kylewolfe_]

This was super entertaining. When I first clicked on the video and saw the duration I said to myself "Am I really about to spend an hour watching a video about sourdough starter?" and here I am 40 minutes in and loving it :)

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for watching. This was one of my favorite videos to make.

[@kylewolfe_]

@@thesourdoughjourney I was surprised to see them all survive! I have an idea about the mold. In Adam Ragusea's video on sourdough he interviewed some researchers from NC State who mentioned that the microbes (especially the bacteria) that make up a sourdough starter culture produce an acidic and alcohol rich environment which deters mold growth. So if you get any mold on undigested bits of flour (like your experiment with the flour caked to the side) you should just keep feeding the starter and eventually the sourdough microbes will win out. Do you think it would be a valuable experiment to test this assertion? You could try purposefully exposing some starter to spores, letting the mold grow, and then scooping some off (or letting it sit in there for an extreme stress test) and continuing to feed it over the span of multiple days to see if the starter eventually wins out. It might be difficult to tell when the mold is actually killed off since the fruiting body might not be visible but the hyphae may still be present in the form of subsurface mycelium. But if mycelium were present and you left it without feeding for a couple days it would probably fruit and form visible mold again. I wish my university's bio lab was still open because I could try this out and prepare some slides to view under the microscope with staining compounds to differentiate the fungi.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

@@kylewolfe_ I actually tried adding some mold (from a piece of fruit) to one of the starters to accelerate the mold growth for the purpose of the video and it would not propagate in the starter. I didn't leave it long enough to see if it killed it off, but I'll give that a try sometime. In general, with other ferments (e.g., sauerkraut) once you get mold in it, it is nearly impossible to get it all out (for safe human consumption). I will probably do a sequel to this video sometime and will add this experiment. Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!

[@ngiorgos]

I was also wandering this about mold. What if we just keep feeding it like normal for a number of days. Maybe if the mold reproduces much slower that the yeast, the mold content will decay exponentially until there's nothing left. I'm afraid this would take a looong time if it's even possible but still, I imagine it must have happened many times in the past. "Just scoop it out and use the rest" was the standard response to mold

[@debbieb456]

The MOST ENTERTAINING tutorial I have ever witnessed. I am convinced that I can/will not kill my starter; provided it finally matures. Thank you for alleviating ALL of my fears. I accidentally tripped over this video and I am racing straight over to your channel to learn more from the humorous professor.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. If it’s entertainment you seek; this one is for you. NEW!: The Sourdough Brothers: Sourdough for Busy People kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2m2moSAr6ulqNk

[@rgugu3364]

Thank you, Tom, what you have done is just awesome. I love your experiments. This is way better than most of the TV series nowadays.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback. If you like me my sense of humor, you might also like this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4PRfIKQi9KAnck

[@nikki-noir]

Wow. Talk about stumble onto the most informative and fun video. Coming from someone who has zero starter knowledge, watching your video's I feel like I don't need to know any more about it. Once I have every tool I need, I'm going to give it a crack. Thank you Tom!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! If you like informative and fun videos, you must see this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2m2moSAr6ulqNksi=Vv2oAeVLk2UHVQBw

[@ConcordKenpo]

My wife made a starter many years ago and we would throw it in the out building freezer during Passover then revive after the week long holiday. The last one we forgot about and I found it a few years later. This was my start into sourdough. I thawed it but it never returned to liquid, it remained a dried clump (freeze dried?). Anyway, a little water day one, regular feedings afterwards and it did revive!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

You can’t kill a starter if you tried!

[@Noattentionplz]

This video is both educational and hilarious. I just started my first sourdough starter the other day and this video gave me a boost of confidence I needed. Now I know what to expect and look out for - thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. And thanks for watching!

[@traceys5274]

So helpful, interesting, and hilarious. I loved the note about "diluted" not "deluded" 🙂

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@evvie01]

Sweet, you just answered most of my "What if..." questions. Thank you. When I lived in Michigan I tried to make starter, and I thought I failed through neglect, and starvation. Thank you for showing me that I fed a perfectly good batch of starter to my garden, and the birds. In fact I don't think my garden got any of it. The birds, once they found it, ate it all, along with the ants and flies who were trying to eat it too.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. Unless it gets moldy, you really can’t kill it.

[@sallywright2217]

I love your brand of sarcasm. Sitting in my chair and almost rolling onto the floor laughing. But it is difficult to kill a well established sourdough starter. It can be done, but mold, mildew or poisons are about the only ways to make it unusable.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. I have a unique sense of humor. 😉. And if you liked this video, check out my “Preview Video.” It is a comedy.

[@Berengal]

This video was really fun. It seems some people online really stress out about their starters and making it much higher maintenance than it really needs to be. I think many of the guides are written at least partially from the perspective of a professional baker who requires a lot more consistency from their starter than home bakers do. If you ever do a part 2, one way of killing a starter I'd like to see is the "oops, I used all of it" way. Can you revive a starter from an "empty" dirty jar? Given the small amount of salvage in some of your experiments I think the outcome is pretty clear, but how low can you really go?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Good idea. I’ll add that to my list!

[@oldsol7396]

I do that with regularity. Just a little residue on the sides and bottom is plenty to inoculate.

[@annarucin5198]

Just brought my starter back from the "dead" after accidentally baking it, thanks to this video. Thanks so much for your quality content!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@oliveatkinson1274]

You did what

[@jimfromri]

I knew those are tough little guys because I keep my starter in the refrigerator and even though I sometimes have ignored it for a month it comes right back. Still, I would NEVER have guessed it would withstand an assault from a blow torch and bleach! Crazy fun video. Thanks Tom.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. That was one of my early, favorite experimental videos.

[@corteltube]

This video also takes some of the worry away of killing a starter. So when I go to the coast for a few days....I can breath a little easier leaving it alone...in the fridge...unattended and fussed over like a old ladies Pomeranian. This was my favorite experiment yet.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. This was one of my favorite videos of make.

[@quakerweb]

This is great! Thanks for a really informative analysis. I guess the next question would be how these "survived" starters impact the flavor of the bread. One note on the hooch; it is not pure ethanol but perhaps 6-12% alcohol by volume (the bacteria can't survive in higher concentrations). The rest would be water. I'm in the group who have left the starter untouched in the refrigerator for many months and didn't know if the starter was kaput. Thanks to you the question is answered. I also want to make a more sour bread and I'm betting the hooch couldn't hurt that goal!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback and for the info!

[@marksauriol4849]

This was brilliant !

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you so much for the feedback. This was one of my favorite videos to make.

[@mahharteumahseoul1812]

a beginner here!! thank you so much Tom for putting in the effort in making these experiments. we all know it took days or even weeks for you to produce content like this and i can't say enough how grateful i am. now i know that i can find ways to save a starter if ever it goes through one of these scenarios. you reassure someone like me who panics so often and make rushed and irrational choices 😅😅

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! I really enjoy making these videos.

[@margarettaormina8831]

Thank you Tom for all your troubleshooting the issues of sourdough. The first time I tried to start one has been 8-10 years ago and I ended up throwing it away and wish I was able to watch this video! Since I have been thinking of trying it all over again found your hilarious video and couldn't stop laughing. Love your sense of humor and am encouraged all over again to try....here I go!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! Lots of helpful info here too. thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-creation/

[@brendadianne221]

So entertaining! Thank you! I mixed up my first starter 5 days ago with much anxiety and constantly looking to see if it's still alive. (My history with house plants isn't reassuring). Your video eases my mind immensely. Thx!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Good luck. Also lots of info here. thesourdoughjourney.com/encyclopedia/

[@jeanneknight4791]

This was son funny, fascinating and educational! The bleach, the freeze, the microwave and the blow torch were the ones that surprised me the most! I am more at ease after watching this and I am sure I will recommend it to anyone starting out. I really appreciate the inclusion of the cloning segment at the end. My intention today was to find your video about drying the starter for later revival and I stumbled upon this video which I couldn't resist watching.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@everseeking60]

This was so entertaining to watch. It was amazing to see how all your tests turned out...You are so funny...I absolutely love LOVE your channel....you have demystified so many things. I need to binge watch your vids and with any luck il finally get handle on sourdough making. It's incredible the resilience of sourdough starter. There were many times I thought it was dead. Thank you for such an awesome channel. I hope you get soooo many subscribers

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you so much. This was my most fun video to make. And I had no idea how it would come out. I literately was doing every experiment for the first time on camera.

[@jjiacobucci]

What a great video ! Very enlightening and instructional ! Just subbed. Thank you, Tom !

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. One of my favorites.

[@sandrasanzenbacher232]

I loved this demo. Didn't realize starters were so humorous till now. lol So I had some giggles and learned some things too. Thanks so much.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback and thanks for watching!

[@captain776]

Great video. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@willemnanning2832]

Not the first one to find you but definitely a fan from now on. I admire the "dry" humor and love the experiments, it really did teach me to appreciate the little ones. I also experience the mould situation but I was surprised about the Rio the Janeiro Carnival environment beneath it. Keep it up!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! This was actually one of the first videos I made. Still one of my favorites.

[@michaellupu2080]

Thank you, Tom, for an excellent video! I can tell you put a lot of effort in it! It inspired me so much, that I attempted an experiment of my own; I baked a loaf of delicious sourdough bread fully, took a little bit of the crumb, mixed it with some water and flour, left it for 48 hours, fed it again, and guess what happened the following day? A new starter formed, and it was very boozy! Now it's time to feed a starter with iodine, to dispel the fear of "iodine in salt can kill my starter"... I have a feeling it'll do just fine. Take care and thank you for the breadth of knowledge you're sharing!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. Please keep me posted on other experiments!

[@michaellupu2080]

@@thesourdoughjourney Hey Tom, I just wanted to offer an update to the Iodine experiment: I added some povidone-Iodine (betadine) to a starter sample, and fed it 1:2:2 and left it for 2 days. After 2 days it didn't look good and smelled even worse, but I fed it again and within 2 hours it was really bubbling. It peaked after 4 hours, just like my healthy starter does. I am now convinced that the only way to mess up with sourdough starter is to "accidentally" place it in an autoclave or maybe bake it flat at 170 degrees c for an hour, like I was taught in med school. Have a great weekend! Take care.

[@adamsamaniego1626]

This has to be one of the most entertaining videos I've watched on sourdough. Hilarious, and awesome. Thanks!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. I enjoyed making that video., Here is another funny one, kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4PRfIKQi9KAnck

[@wolfvictor]

Awesome video!! Thanks for sharing.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. I enjoyed making the video.

[@LukeXlll]

The dry humor in this video is amazing!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! If you like my humor. Check out my newest video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2m2moSAr6ulqNksi=4QOkRuagJ7faqnX8

[@jeri618]

Dude, you are so good at explaining the process!! I am so excited to learn so much more from your wisdom and expertise!👍🏻

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Also check out my website.

[@ffc1a28c7]

One thing to note, some of these revivals might just be from the natural yeast in the flour (this is after all, how you start a starter - just regular old flour & water). If you were to repeat it, it might be worth it to dry cook (or UV treat) the flour to remove any possible contaminants. Generally, when making a new starter, the first few batches will be pretty normal looking, and it will start to simmer down after a few feedings before going back to normal. These things are definitely super hardy though. I've left mine on the counter for a month and it came back within a few days (as in, I baked with it within 2 feedings) :P

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. You can see in the video, in addition to looking at the recovered starter, I also smell it. There is an unmistakeable difference between the smell of a “recovered” starter and a newly forming starter. I should have been more clear about it in the video, but I am 100% certain that none of the “recovered” starters were actually a new starter forming in the jar. If I had any doubt, I would have noted it. But your recommended test protocol is the right way to do it.

[@kobnon8502]

Thanks a lot for your lot of works! Only great sense of humor could do such things. Die hard Strater !

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Haha. Yes.

[@melissaharnly2916]

Great job Tom! Very informative! I heard on another KZbin video that settlers would use their discard starter to fill cracks in their walls of their houses. Later they would chip it out and use it for new starter. 😳

[@thesourdoughjourney]

That’s interesting. I’ve not heard that before!

[@DeborahKeleman]

Absolutely LOVE your videos! Very helpful and funny!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@hsbc2468]

Very educational. Thank you Tom

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Also check out my website for more info… thesourdoughjourney.com

[@christinapuplett8974]

Tom thank you for this brilliant video....not only hilarious but educational and amazing how these starters can have just about everything thrown at them. I've just started in growing sourdough starters and find your videos most helpful....looking forward to working my way through all your excellent videos 👍

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@martynhanson6637]

Tom, another excellent video on a subject close to many people hearts, I was unsure what it would take, and have looked at 'the Beast' on a number of occasions and though, have I left it too late....Clearly, its a resilient little bugger and I will never again have to wonder if its dead! You touch on subjects that are hugely relevant to those of us striving to perfect our bread, whilst Tartine sits in our households, there are times when his wonderful descriptions and pictures just don't give the detail we Journeymen/women require on some aspects of the process. Without doubt, you feel the same as you have created a fantastic array of videos on those very details. thank you for taking the time to create these great videos.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! I very much appreciate the feedback. It is a journey and I’m happy to be sharing my learning experiences with others!

[@carolinehonse35]

Very informative and funny, definitely subscription worthy.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. This one is a comedy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2m2moSAr6ulqNksi=CAfYQrSfCoa1See0

[@kiweekeith]

Thanks a Stack Tom for a Very Informative, yet fun vidclip ..... Best to You and Yours from Christchurch, New Zealand .....

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@rachelbrown8800]

Very entertaining and informative thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@phyllisdale4695]

Great channel and videos. I'm going to try pemmican and a sour dough starter. Your instruc/ions are clear and easily followed.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! Good luck. Also check out my website for more info.

[@domvssilentivm]

Grand finale! Congrats!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks you!

[@ThatGuy-dj3qr]

Extensive and informative video. Thanks!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@debscamera2572]

Thanks for giving me the confidence to start the sourdough journey. A friend gave me dehydrated starter a couple weeks ago.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback! Good luck.

[@kirthibios]

Simply Amazing! Thanks so much for all your videos! Learning a lot!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@yougkuan9198]

Dude! Your sourdough episodes are truly Epic! That's some pretty hardcore gang o cultures no...!? Learning so much! Much thanx for these shares ; D

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.

[@yarnexpress]

You've given me hope! Yesterday I was very tired & was continually interrupted while trying to mix Anadama bread using an old, old, yeast based recipe which I had done successfully once in the recent past. (It's a bit tricky has a cornmeal porridge & a good bit of molasses.) After I bulk fermented for about 6 hrs--nada. Stuck it into the refrigerator to deal with today. I figured my porridge was too warm or I mis-measured the molasses or both & killed the yeast. Your wonderful video has convinced me that if I give it more time all will be well. Please keep your experiments coming!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Always just give it more time…. Can’t kill it if you tried.

[@herlindeclark5488]

Thank you! Very informative.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@marekkomarek6772]

I like your sense of humor. Good job!

[@marekkomarek6772]

But I'm thinking to myself, that test is a little bit pointless. Why? Because when you are adding NOT sterile flour and water, you are adding microbes also. In the end of the day, you are making new starter from scratches. Anyway, it was fun to watch.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Good question, I had the same thought, but there is no possibility that just flour and water would create activity that quickly in 24 or 48 hours if the original starter were actually dead. The “revived” starters were incredibly active, not a 2-day old starter by any means. I could have shown a side by side “control sample” of 1 or 2 day old flour and water mixture and it would have been perfectly clear in every case that the original starter had revived and the new material was simply a feeding, not a second generation starter. You can see that’s also why I smelled every starter when I opened each jar. A revived starter smells completely different than a two-day old new starter. Great question though. Thanks!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@user-qx5vc1vu2i]

Tom, thank you for making this educational video. This is excellent information for anyone who is involved with cooking and especially bread making. From a novice sourdough starter guy, thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@magnificentyou2279]

Fabulous video!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

thanks!

[@mayamoto6491]

Unbelievable video! My jaw dropped too many times. Also laughed a lot. Thanks for this.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@danac2491]

Fantastic! Fascinating for sure! Thank you again.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@ALLLYYYYY1337]

You are hilarious!! I’ve been loving your videos ♥️

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@liletteautrey8481]

Very informative , Tom thank you for your help

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@brendaleetaylor9566]

Well, I can't say that I'm sorry that you were beaten so badly! You gave it a really good try, I'm not going to lie but your opponent... Sourdough starter is really badass! Thanks for telling us how to dehydrate our starter also. I'm doing this today so I can never lose my wonderful starter that I worked so hard to get going here in Colorado. Took me almost a month to get it going...but I didn't give up. It now gives me bread to make the store bakery loaves that I thought tasted great before I started this journey...pale in comparison. Food for thought...I'm at Mile High Altitude. The bread recipe that works here would blow your mind along with the bulk fermentation and proof time. In case someone wonders about iodized salt that you didn't try (Iodine also kills organisms)... just like the chlorinated water it didn't faze it ...because I accidentally did it with my first try at baking bread and it was fine and I baked my first great loaf with it, so no worries anyway. ( Just to make it worse I accidentally added twice as much as the recipe called for. 20 g instead of 10 g.) It raised perfectly so the bunch of iodized salt didn't faze it but tasted salty. LOL)

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. I will try iodized salt if I ever do a “rematch.”

[@emnylz]

I am here to understand abt mold, but couldnt stop my seld and watch the whole video. Thanks for giant work❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Also check out the end of my new video I also discuss mold there. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eomWXoh3g7mAfZYsi=VG0q6pfAyq13zbyE

[@mabelbowen25]

Thank you for a fun and informative video! I loved the humor and encouragement through clearer understanding of Sourdough Starter. I am working on my second attempt to grow a strong starter. Looking forward to a loaf of bread very soon.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Good luck!

[@janetfryeaifd1011]

Tom, This is great, should be required viewing for anyone beginning their sourdough sojourn.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@alvarovaldemoro]

Love it! (also I watched the tartine how to in a row yesterday!) Love such an ablation study, and love how you explain things, are you teacher or scientist?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I am not a teacher or scientist. I recently retired from 30 years in business/finance. I guess it took that long for me to figure out what I am good at and passionate about.

[@NatalieBrownMusic]

This video is EPIC Tom 😂🎉

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

This was one of my first, and favorite videos.

[@dandooon99]

As always the master of all sourdough masters is a wonderful master 😍😍

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@idaeinjaw2139]

Amazing fun educational video!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. That was one of my most fun to make.

[@aziebhabte-selasie7329]

Very clear explanation thank you somach for your time.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@katebinnie72]

Hey Tom, can you make a video possibly about using imprecise measurements for a starter? Because that’s what I did and it looks pretty good but I can’t get it to rise, I ordered a scale so I’m gonna wait for that and do your 5 day rule but I’m nervous about all the imprecise measurements I’ve used already

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Kate, good question. Imprecise measurements won’t kill it, but they can keep it from “showing the rise.” But the starter can be completely strong and healthy with too much or too little water. They are just hard to read because they don’t show the rise. Yours will be fine until you get a scale. Keep going with your process.

[@catherinegratton-gagne9269]

Love the Paul Simon reference in the title ❤️

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. In addition to sourdough baking, I am also a musician, so this title came naturally.

[@elviradammasch4843]

Thank you so much for this funny, yet educational video, which gives us confidence. I never put a starter into an oven/ microwave. During cold days I have the starter jar during the day in a bowl of slightly warmed water, the temperature checked, and at night I keep the jar in an esky, surrounded by folded towels, and a hot water bottle at one end. Works well.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks you! Your methods are great. Thanks for sharing.

[@janicebuckner8250]

Again as usual a Great video! Long ago in the winter, I fed my starter then preheated my oven at 200 warm it up before putting in my just fed starter. When I checked my starter the next morning, it was baked! I would have been hysterical if I didn't have a backup jar! Since then I always keep two jars of my starter. I know I could dry out the starter, but am taking no chances!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. These mishaps are so common. That's why I made the video.

[@SparkyOne549]

I never keep 2 jars of starter. I dry mine like he did in the end, then crumble and freeze. I’ve used this technique for many years, it works, because I’ve had to use my backup from the freezer. Just remember to make a new backup lol

[@rebelbelle62]

Enjoyed your video. Had to laugh at some of your comments! I was starting to feel a bit sorry for that sour dough starter.🤣🤣

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. If you like my sense of humor, check out this new video with my brother. It is a comedy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYfIk4x7fZtmrq8

[@chrisnutter6933]

Educational and entertaining thank you

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@andrewsackk]

Thank you! I needed it to make sense

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kathleenmills8924]

Mate, thank you .Had a good laugh and learnt a few things , thanks again

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@sandramcd54]

I have no words......soooo amazing......cheers

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@louettesommers8594]

What a terrific video.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@louettesommers8594]

@@thesourdoughjourney you are very welcome. Your example really makes so much sense. 👍🏻

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

Thank you. I just started my first sourdough starter a few days ago. You showed there isn't much that can go wrong with it. Some others have vlogs, blogs, etc. giving the idea everything has to be exactly the right way, or you'd better stop trying sourdough

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Once your starter is established, it is incredibly resilient.

[@makinggreatbread]

excellent video

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@kellyeldershomesteadbeginn8242]

Very helpful video! Thank you for this. I thought I killed mine that I've been working on for 3 months from scratch by putting it in the oven with the light on. Almost started over. Thanks again!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback. Good luck!

[@Revjtl]

Thanks for the reality check! Love science based on experience and experiment. Would love to see if Lysol, soap, dishwasher/laundry detergent &/or rubbing alcohol would have any adverse effects. Also maybe filter some starter through a few face masks. Could put a dent in the safety of certain "safety" mandates put in place since you posted this. All the best!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you for the feedback. I’ll add those to my list for Part 2!

[@redwoodcoastcreativearts]

Nice Job Tom! I threw away buckets of starter due to heat, neglect, and just being repulsed so many times when I was just learning. Where were you in 1982? I have learned over the years how resilient the yeastie beasties are but, I never would have guessed the microwave, torch, or bleach would survive. What a great experiment. Thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! I was also surprised by those survivors.

[@cptstbd]

The journey and conclusion were well worth the watch! So curious to know what a bleach loaf would look like even if not to taste

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! 😀

[@SonyaFloyd]

I love your channel. Best starter ever

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Wow, thanks!

[@et9577]

Nice one Tomato 8-D !! very catchy title

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@urbanhomesteadhoney]

Awesome!!!!!! Off the scale!!!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks.

[@GoldenBirdBrain]

Wow-amazing experiments (especially the chlorine)!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@philgenoseo6771]

I love this series and have learned lots. Is it asking a lot to get baked bread from these messed up starters with taste tests and comparison's? just a series idea. if you've already done this please send me a link. Again thank you for your educational series my family and i thank you!! 😀

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I could tell by the smell of each recovered starter that most of them returned to their normal state. The ones with the hooch, bleach and wrong flours smelled a little off, but I could have just fed them for a few more days and I’m confident they would all have returned to normal. Thanks!

[@SixtiesandBeyond]

Tom I really enjoyed watching this video I am new to sour dough starter, one that you showed was the hot water, I thought I messed mine up, you were right nope.. loved the commentary of what the Starter says lol 🤣

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@Bkrsdtr]

I loved this! I had a crockful of neglected starter with a couple inches of black hooch on top. I would have tried CPR if I’d known!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

It is amazingly resilient.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

"What's that smell?" Haha, I've had two friends who have tried to kill their starters in the oven, ALWAYS put a note on the part of the oven someone else needs to touch in order to turn it on...

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes. Good idea. Highly recommended.

[@moondancedude]

LOL, great video Tom, you had me laughing for sure. I’m finding that a well-fed starter can be refrigerated at its peak and used directly from the fridge as levain. Have you tried that (yet)? Stay funny👍🏻

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! This was probably my favorite video to make. I have not tried what you’re recommending but am pretty certain it would work. If you like this video, you may also like my new video “The Sourdough Journey: Preview Video.”’ It is also a comedy.

[@elonanamor6420]

I loved this. I like your sense of humour. By the sometimes glance of the NASA cup, I think you are probably a scientist of some sort. I love how you think and how you go about teaching. Great videos. I was just about ready to throw out my starter but not now. I am going to continue with feeding and see what happens.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. I am not a scientist, but have always had an interest in science and experiments. Check out some of my more recent videos for some real interesting experiments.

[@elonanamor6420]

@@thesourdoughjourney It was just a guess as you are so precise about everything! I just figured out my poor starter isn't growing because it was too cool. Bought a thermometer and it was only at 76 so now trying to warm it up a bit and see what happens.

[@misod6755]

Again thank you. Regarding the clone. Do u keep the dried out starter in an airtight jar or loosely fit covered jar. Thank you

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Airtight jar, or a ziploc bag. Just to keep dust, mold and other things out. It will not spoil in any way. It’s totally dried.

[@ingridgillette5573]

I have a starter in my vacation home since June that I do not feed. I use it for making my levain as I need it and it works everytime. All I do is mix it up every once in awhile. It's amazing! Love that song" 90 days in the Hole"

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback. I've pulled some really old starters out of my fridge and they always come back.

[@CM-xn6xc]

I learned a lot from all your effort. Thank you so much. Just an after thought... have you tried a strong salt solution? Bakers frequently say something like “put salt in flour opposite from yeast because salt will harm the yeast,” or something similar to that. My guess is the yeast will win :)

[@thesourdoughjourney]

I will add that to my list for the sequel. Thanks!

[@fionn5305]

This is a wonderful lesson for me I thank you so very much . I purchased a special starter(for me) 203 years I was so excited to be in possession of the same. A few days on I was doing great and then I noticed no bubbles and a layer of liquid I believed that I killed my baby and discarded. Now once again I am on day 2 of my own starter doing all your measurements doing all the temperature checks like COVID-19, instead of discarding all of day 2 can I go onto day 3 with another starter from the discarded day2 and continue with the second batch three - 14. I have a lot of friends and family who want me to make an artisan loaf for them.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@Flippin_Crazy]

Awesome!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@EddickC2D]

Awesome video! Unfortunately I got mold on the top, removed top and took one spoon for re-creating in new jar. As a result it got molded as well, so no lactic acid there more because I left the main jar unfeeded for 2-3 months and eventually it got molded. Anyway, good learn :P

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Mold is the only thing that really kills it. And it penetrates through the surface.

[@1misago]

Thanks Tom for another useful, humorous video. If you ever feel up to challenging the starter again, you could try repeating the UV exposure. Of the UV wavelengths, the one with the deepest penetration is UV-A which can only penetrate less than 1mm. In addition, UV cannot penetrate most glass (quartz glass being an exception). Spreading the starter wafer thin (as thin as possible) on baking parchment and leaving it in mid summer sunlight with no intervening glass, would be the ultimate test. Or maybe not! It could be rehydrated like the cloned back up culture. I suspect it would survive. The UV might even generate a stronger starter through UV-induced mutation! By the way, while the starter's ability to weather some of the challenges didn't surprise me, it's resistance to ovens, blowtorch and bleach were amazing!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. I was recently reading up on UV rays. They are actually used to damage cells in labs. So the direct sunlight probably would do some damage but not likely kill it. And in most cases, the starter would be in glass or plastic, so direct UV exposure is a pretty unlikely scenario (but so is a blowtorch).

[@ima7333]

Nope, UV rays don’t kill starter. I live in Indonesia & i leave my starter overnight on my windowsill. In the morning the sun would blast through there by the time i’m out of my room at 9am, my starter’s been sunbathing for 3,5hrs. It sometimes overflowed coz it rose more than triple. Btw we got recipes here that use fermented cassava that calls for letting the dough sit in the hot sun for 2hrs until double. So the UV rays will not kill the yeast.

[@1misago]

@@ima7333 I work in a lab where we use UV to sterilise surfaces. UV kills microbes but it cannot penetrate normal glass. Starter in a glass jar will therefore be safe. Interesting to hear about fermenting cassava. I'm not sure how deeply UV can penetrate dough - perhaps not very deeply. To kill a starter, with UV, one would need to spread it wafer thin, then expose it to direct sun with no intervening glass.

[@ima7333]

@@1misago that dough that’s leavened w/ fermented cassava is usually put in a plastic/metal bowl. Glass jars & bowls are pretty pricey around here. The locals, particularly in the rural areas, would make huge batches of those dough and put it under the sun at 11ish am when the sun is very strong for 2 full hrs until it literally look doubled in size. I supposed if you were to spread it thin then put it under the sun it might die but mine hasn’t. Coz that’s how i dehydrate mine. Too cheap to pay the electricity for dehydrator but the sun is free. The same goes for my laundry where i’d hang it up at 7am & it’d fully dried by 9am. That’s how strong the sun is where i live.

[@1misago]

@@ima7333 That's interesting. It seems like you're right that UV doesn't kill the starter after all. The sun where you are must be pretty intense. I'm thinking the explanation is that, unlike a lab where UV is directly striking microbes, the dough shields microbes from damage.

[@PhamNET]

Love the use of the term “legacy starter”. Are you in IT? My starter is called “Rhonda Risey”. She’s likes to feed on organic whole Rye flour.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

No, not in IT. I was referring to legacy more in terms of “handed down through a family.” But the IT reference also works. People could say, “my starter is older than COBOL.”

[@fionascheibel977]

You are an answer to my prayers. I accidentally fed my starter with sterilizer solution id been soaking my filter jug with. I forgot the jug didn't just contain the usual water. I will just keep giving Sylvester love and nice water and flour and I'm now sure he will feel bubbly and enthusiastic again.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

What was in the sterilizer solution?

[@fionascheibel977]

@@thesourdoughjourney its a chlorine type based stuff used to sanitize baby bottles and drink bottles etc. Its not toxic for a human to drink. Well the human wont die. But it isnt advised to drink it though.