Hi Mara, it won't hurt to stir your hooch into your starter. The only reason I poured it off here is that it was so dark and unappetizing in appearance. Vinegary and tangy isn't necessarily a bad sign, but I'm wondering if you're discarding a portion of your starter each time you feed it? If you're just adding flour and water this can cause the starter to get out of balance, with too much sourdough waste predominating. I would try feeding twice a day with equal parts starter, flour and water by weight, and see if your starter improves in aroma and activity level. If you don't have a scale, save 1/2 cup starter and feed this 1/2 cup water and 1 scant cup unbleached all-purpose flour twice daily. For more help troubleshooting your starter, please don't hesitate to call our Baker's Hotline at 855-371-2253. We'd love to talk sourdough with you! 

Barb

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