Hi Jay, you are totally correct that discarded starter can include a wide range of activity levels, depending on if it's straight from the refrigerator after a 5 day stay, or has been refreshed at room temperature a few times in preparation for bread baking. We generally assume that sourdough discard won't contribute much, if any, rising power to a recipe and is added as a flavor element. However, in most cases adding the more lively discard won't cause any harm. With a recipe like our sourdough crackers you may prefer to use the straight-from-the-refrigerator discard, but in our sourdough pancakes or pizza dough recipes, more lively sourdough discard may contribute to a lighter or more high-rising outcome. We generally don't recommend using discarded starter that's been in the refrigerator for more than a week or two. It won't spoil very quickly, but it can develop a rather funky flavor over time. Barb

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