HI there:  You need help?....WE all need help, but for now, here are the best websites I have ever found for exactly that, well, sourdough help at least:>

chris

​

CHRIS ON BOARD:> so you have a very overactive starter.....
signs of an overactive starter: that acetone smell, the going really liquid state, also can go almost like vinegar....
what does that do and how did it get there:......so we want the starter to taste almost sweet, that will show us you got the right balance....when it is over active, it eats really fast and gives off that vinegar or acetone smell and goes liquid....and also changes the ph level to a level that you cant see the growth,

So basically you have an army that needs a lot more food or reducing, and no more heat...the counter is just fine now.....
remember its always alive,,,it just needs a little more love:>

so what to do,,,,,, take out 1/2 cup of starter and feed 2 cups of any flour you want, add water to make stirrable, like a pancake batter...not a dough ball...
Cover with whatever you want, you will see it take off.....if lots of bubbles on top but no growth,,,thats ok, that means its alive but can't hold the gas and show you the rise, you can adjust with more flour,,,, but it's great to use....I personally don't need the rise, I need to see activity.....why, I have had it run out the top of my container and over my counter way too many times.....
preppykitchen.com/sourdough-bread/
This is my go-to super-easy recipe......and for that deep sour taste I do put my loaf in the fridge for up to 3-4 days to let it fermentate which is the yeast eating on all that flour and giving the loaf that deep sour......then take it out and bake per the above site...
You got this,,,as you see where your starter is at different points, you will just go aha, you can't fool me
have fun
chris

 

This site tells you of all the problems you might have and what to do about them.  Yeah good luck with the husband or wife problems, he couldn't help me there, but starter problems he has the answers.

 

https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/sourdough/sourdough-troubleshooting-faq/

 

this next site is just awesome, the guy really knows his sourdough stuff, don't get caught up in the goofy European measurements though.

 

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/

https://www.theperfectloaf.com/beginners-sourdough-bread/

​

Did you know that the term ‘sourdough’ doesn't necessarily refer to flavor, but actually refers to the process of souring or fermenting bread dough?

Whether you prefer a tangy flavor to your sourdough bread or a more mild taste, you can learn to manipulate your sourdough starter and dough to produce a bread that tastes great to you and your family.

 

HOW TO MAKE A MORE SOUR SOURDOUGH

There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang.

Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product. Here are some ways to achieve this.

1. Adjust the Starter

• Maintain your starter at a lower hydration level. This means using a higher ratio of flour to water. Acetic acid is produced more abundantly in a drier environment like this while lactic acid-producing organisms seem to thrive in a wet environment.

• Use whole-grain flours, which the acid-producing bacteria love.

• Keep the hooch or brown liquid layer that forms on a hungry sourdough starter instead of pouring it off. Retaining hooch can add acidity to sourdough and help it develop tang.

2. Adjust the Bread Dough

While it may take a little trial and error, attempting to achieve a longer, slower rise may also contribute to a more sour sourdough. Try creating a slower rise by doing the following.

• Find a cooler spot for rising the dough. (Remember, warmer temperatures speed up fermentation and cooler temperatures slow down fermentation.)

• Punch down (degassing) the dough at least once, if not twice, before the final shaping of the loaf.

• Perform the final rise for at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before baking. Although many experts recommend that the last rise be a quick one done in a warmer environment, you will have a better “oven-spring” by putting a cooler loaf into a hot oven.

 

What's that you say, you have a little time on your hands and prefer a visual?  Maybe an easy class on sourdough?  Well I teamed up with Teresa L Greenway, who does just that, she gives online classes and allows you to ask as many questions as you want, but she couldn't answer where I left my cell phone.  She is an amazing teacher and her classes are super cheap.

 

https://www.northwestsourdough.com/

 

If you do take a class, let her know that Chris from sourdough starters got you there.

​

​