PSA: My sourdough starter straight up died after a week in the fridge

I got busy with a big wedding cake order and forgot about my starter, Bob. When I pulled him out last Tuesday, he was gray and smelled like nail polish remover. I tried feeding him twice a day for three days with my usual King Arthur bread flour, but he never bubbled. I had to toss him and start a new one from scratch yesterday. Anyone have a foolproof method for long-term fridge storage that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantw4116d ago

Man that sucks, sorry about Bob. I had the same thing happen once and now I feed mine right before it goes in the fridge, like a big last meal. I use a bigger jar so it has room, and I make sure the mix is pretty thick, not runny at all. I've left it for almost three weeks like that and it came back after two feeds. Maybe try a thicker consistency next time?

jordan_hill16d ago

Oh man, @grantw41 is onto something with the thick mix. I wonder if the jar shape matters too, like a wide mouth lets more air sit on top? I switched to a straight-sided jar instead of a tapered one and my starter seems less stressed in the fridge. Maybe it's about the surface area, not just the room to grow.

quinnm7716d ago

Yeah, the jar shape totally makes a difference. Honestly, I never thought about it until @jordan_hill mentioned the straight-sided jar, but it makes sense. A wide mouth with more surface area probably lets the gas escape easier so it's not all trapped in there stressing it out. Tbh my starter always seems happier in my old pasta sauce jar than in a fancy tapered one. It's all about giving it some breathing room, literally.