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Warning: My sourdough starter went nuclear during a heatwave last July.
I left it on the counter in my kitchen in Austin, and it overflowed its jar overnight, covering my entire counter in a sticky, smelly mess. I had to scrape it all up and start over from scratch with a tiny bit saved from the fridge. Has anyone else had a starter go crazy like that in hot weather?
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the_shane5mo ago
Blair's kombucha story is a perfect example. It's not just about speed, it's about the yeast and bacteria getting way too active and aggressive. That overflow is basically a microbial riot. I've started treating my summer ferments like they're on a strict schedule, checking them twice a day and moving them to the basement floor. The heat just flips a switch and they go from friendly to feral almost overnight.
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ivanp785mo ago
But is it really that big of a deal?
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blairm775mo ago
Yeah, heat does wild things to fermentation. My kombucha once turned into a vinegar rocket in a heatwave, shot right through the cloth cover. Now I just stick it in the coolest closet during summer.
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