Sourdough Starter

Your sourdough has to breathe. Never seal or it will explode. The gases need to escape. If you are refrigerating the starter, seal the container.
Flavour and texture are affected by ingredients, fermentation time, and temperature.
Food ferments faster in warm weather, slower in cool weather. For faster fermentation times pit it in a warmer area. Better flavour often results from longer fermentation time at a cooler temperature.
Make sure your jar, utensils, etc. are clean but you do not have to sterilize like canning.
Avoid metal and plastic. ONLY USE TALL GLASS or CERAMIC CONTAINERS like a mason wide mouth jar for actual fermentation period.
Put the starter where you are able to monitor them and wont forget about them.

If starter has been refrigerated, remove it and let it warm to room temperature.
Discard all but a tablespoon of the starter (pro-tip: save the discard in a mason jar in the fridge, and use it in other recipes!).
Feed your starter in a ratio of about 3:2, flour to water. You want the starter to have a paste-like consistency - like Elmer's glue.
- Start with white flour You can convert your starter over to whole-wheat or rye gradually by adding a bit at a time, Your flour must contain gluten for it to work.
Stir (use a chop stick) vigorously to introduce oxygen into it. This is an important step!
Cover with something that lets it breathe (a paper towel held down with an elastic band works well), and let it sit on the counter for a few hours.
Discard all but a tablespoon, and feed your starter regularly (a few tablespoons of flour and water) over the next couple of days at least every 12 hours. It is better to feed it gradually than a whole bunch at once. If you see a greyish layer of water at the top or your starter smells a bit like nail polish remover, it means that you need to feed it more often.
Your starter is ready for baking when it is a nice and bubbly and has a bread-like, yeasty smell to it. The temperature and humidity can really affect how quickly your starter gets bubbly. The more bubbly your starter is, the more quickly your bread will rise.
Use your starter or refrigerate! Make sure you have enough to build up for your next batch of bread.

What if I forget to feed it?
- When sourdough starter is neglected — left on the counter or in the refrigerator for extended periods without being fed — the yeast and bacteria run out of food, and their populations gradually decline. Basically, your starter is dying a slow death; the longer it's left unfed, the more difficult it will be to revive it and get it ready for baking. Feeding your starter regularly can prevent this situation. And also cure it: If you do happen to forget your starter for a while, a series of regular feedings should restore its health.
What's the "right" aroma?
- Sourdough starter should smell sharply sour but "clean," with no overtones of spoilage, or any oddly chemical smell (think acetone). While the aroma of sourdough may make you draw back simply from its strength, it shouldn't be distasteful.
When to throw it out?
- When your starter is neglected for an extended period, the liquid on top tends to turn from clear to dirty looking dark-colored water. This is called the "hooch". This is normal; simply stir the liquid back into the starter and feed it the meal it's desperately craving. However, if your starter shows visible signs of mould, or an orange or pink tint/streak, or smells — well, putrid — throw it out; it's been invaded by harmful microorganisms, and it's time to start over.