Cooking · by Ethan Brooks · 2026-09-14

starter smells like cider, not doom. am I good?

Day 6 of my first sourdough starter. It's bubbly, rising some, and smells kind of appley instead of rotten. Every guide online uses words like tangy and funky which are not helping me. Before I keep feeding this jar on my counter like a tiny rent-paying roommate: normal?

13 sparks · 6 comments

Comments

Jack Taylor · 10 likes

appley/beer-y is normal in my experience. Putrid gym sock is the bad zone

Avery Johnson · 2 likes

If it gets pink or fuzzy, bin it. Otherwise keep going and ask your nose, basically.

Ethan Brooks · 0 likes

no pink no fuzz, just little boozy apple vibes. thank you

Cozy Fern · 1 likes

Take a rubber band and mark the jar so you can actualy see the rise. Saved my sanity

Silver Marauder · 1 likes

Day 6 is still baby starter time. Keep feeding it.

Rohan Mehta · 0 likes

The internet makes it sound more dramatic than it is. Mine smelled like cider for almost two weeks then got more yogurty.