I'm on my second attempt now at making sourdough starter using the KAF recipe. My first one I threw out because it developed an incredibly powerful and unpleasant stench. It made me and my wife gag to smell it. On days 2 and 3, it had a pleasant, fruity smell; but on day 4, it suddenly became this horrible stink. The second one did the same thing, but this time I kept on feeding it. Over the next few days after the stench developed, it turned into an incredibly powerful and biting sour smell. I figured this was progress, so I kept going. But it's now been close to two weeks and the starter still isn't bubbly, nor is it rising. There are maybe a handful of large bubbles on the surface, but that's it. Reading others' experience, it's common for the starter to be strong for the first few days, but then kind of die down around day four, sometimes for many days. But that's not been my experience. My starter NEVER rose. It NEVER had more than a few bubbles. And the smell is not fruity, not cheesy, nor yeasty. I would not describe it as pleasant, either, it just no longer smells horrible. About the only thing that seems to be working right is that even though the mixture is very thick and doughy right after feeding, after a few hours it's very thin and watery. It's about the consistency of frosting, actually. I can't imagine what I could be doing wrong. The recipe is extremely simple. But at the same time, I've been feeding this thing for two weeks now and it hasn't demonstrated the slightest bit of progress.

• Reply