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My neighbor's sourdough starter smells like nail polish remover and he thinks that's fine
He's been feeding it twice a day for a week in his 85-degree kitchen, but that sharp acetone smell means it's stressed and hungry, not 'extra sour' like he claims.
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keithlane11d ago
Oh man, that smell is a total red flag! @the_christopher is spot on, it's basically the yeast screaming for food. I had the same thing happen when I left my starter near a heating vent one winter. It smelled like a nail salon and the bread baked up super dense and gross. Your neighbor needs to feed that thing more, or maybe stick it in the fridge for a bit to slow it down. That acetone punch is not a good sour!
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annas878d ago
Actually, acetone isn't from the yeast starving, it's from the bacteria. The lactobacillus runs out of food and starts making acetic acid, and that sharp smell is a byproduct. The yeast is usually long gone by that point. It's a sign the starter is way past peak and super acidic. Feeding it more often or keeping it cooler helps the bacteria stay in a better balance so it doesn't get to that point.
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phoenix_thompson48d ago
Totally agree with @keithlane about the nail salon smell. Mine got that way when my kitchen was too hot. The bread came out like a brick. I started feeding it twice a day with cooler water and kept it in the pantry, not on the counter. That sharp smell went away in a couple feeds. Now if it looks too hungry, I just stick it in the fridge for a few days to take a break.
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the_christopher11d ago
My roommate's starter got that same chemical smell last summer (we kept it way too warm on the windowsill). It basically means the yeast is starving and producing acetone, so he needs to feed it more or cool it down.
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