Help! Forgot to discard half my starter and it’s doing this!!!! What do I do?

[Jux]

Do I let it carry on until it collapses and then discard half?

it’s first day of feeding, first starter I’ve done that’s actually worked (been trying on and off for years, never had one actually work). Very pleased, but also waaah wtf! I tried about a week ago, with very old Spelt flour I found in the cupboard and then fed with plain white flour…… this is the same very old Spelt flour but bubbled away and grew and smelt lovely and I was so surprised. I bought some fresh organic strong white bread flour, fed it a couple of hours ago and voila!

If you have used old out of date flour I would be chucking it regardless.

Why on earth do you think the date matters on flour? As long as it doesn’t smell or taste odd it’s fine.

I'd just move it to a bigger container. I've never discarded any starter and have been making sourdough for about 20 years. So long as you've got bubbles, you're good!

I am in the other camp. I would keep enough for my usual bread run plus a bit. For me that is 100g. Leave it in the fridge until the day before it is needed. Then bulk it up with 100g flour and 100g water. Keep 100g for next time and use the 200g. Keeping anymore is a waste of flour.

I only make bread every month or so but leave the starter un fed in the fridge. If it develops the black liquor on top I just pour the liquid off. Starters are much tougher than people give them credit for.

Thanks all. It’s still going strong, but I have been discarding half each time. I get to make the bread in the next couple of days. Really quite excited!

I love how you've taken the photo from quite far away, as if you're nervous about getting too close 😂

Why can't you use the discard in other recipes as opposed to throwing it? I have two jars on the go; my starter, and my discard. I make things like galette, bagels, pancakes and banana bread with the discard.

You really don’t need to discard any of it despite what some people say online
I only add a tablespoon each of flour and water each day to top up and that’s enough at the start.
I also keep it in the fridge then refresh the day before I need it. I put it into a clean jar to return to the fridge each time.

And yes flour does eventually go off in that baked items such as bread and cakes won’t rise as well.

Hope it goes bad

Totally thought you meant your starter in a restaurant OP and was overcome with curiosity as to why you would discard half!