Cleanse the Culture

Appears in
How to Bake Sourdough Bread: Fermentation, Starters & Recipes

By Michael Kalanty

Published 2025

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When hootch appears, carefully remove it. Either ladle or spoon it. Sometimes, the top of the Culture itself has a grayish or even black appearance, depending on the last time it was fed. Carefully spoon away as much of this dark layer as needed until you can see the creamy, light tan Culture beneath the surface layer.