This can happen in the beginning stages. I recommend continuing to feed for a couple days and see if it bounces back. Oftentimes as the bacteria colony shifts, it can temporarily collapse like that. As long as you don’t see mold, it should come back full force.

I had the perfect starter, but the first feed it collapsed

Shaneel, I personally use a sandwich bag and invert it on top of the container and press it closed so it’s wearing a little hat It allows ventilation on the sides because it isn’t air tight. I have used plastic wrap with a few holes poked with a toothpick. A lid would be too air tight and could pop or crack the jar being under too much pressure over time.

You are very welcome!

Thanks very much, I’ll give that a try and let you know!!

Hi, Linda! The paint thinner smell seems to come about when things are just a little off kilter and will go away within a few days of babying your starter. I’ve personally found that when the temperatures outside rise, you need to feed a little more often as the yeast is more active. It is common to get the paint thinner smell when the yeast goes hungry for a few days. It is safe to use as it is, but the taste will be a bit off. What I recommend doing is keeping only a few tablespoons of your starter and feeding heavily for a couple days while leaving it out on the counter (about 50grams of flour and 50 grams of water.) That would be about 1/3 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of water if you aren’t weighing. Each day, discard all but a tablespoon or two and feed the 50 grams each. You should see a massive improvement within 2-3 days. Once the smell is back to normal, you can go back to your normal routine. Let me know if you need more help!

Larissa, So glad that you were able to make the yeast and bread out of it with two types of flour! It’s a wonderful base recipe to learn from. I hope you enjoy making bread for years to come.

I tested the starter with two types of flour. The bread tastes very good. Thank you for the recipe and the videos. With best regards!