Should Sourdough Starter Smell Bad?

What Should My Starter Smell Like? First all all, your starter shouldn't smell too vinegary, like gym socks, or nail polish remover. If it does, it just needs to be fed. Don't freak out over this too much.

Why does sourdough starter smell bad?

The vinegar smells comes from the acetic acid in your starter. As the bacteria in your starter eat through the carbohydrates you have fed it, they produce the vinegar smell. This mostly happens when you change the type of flour you are feeding your starter. ... But it should never smell like rotten cheese or moldy meat.

What should good sourdough starter smell like?

Your starter should have a lovely, yeasty smell, like getting a whiff of bread rising in a bakery, times five. If you stick your nose into your bag of starter, you'll get a pretty heady hit of yeast.