Hi all! My starter now has a strong acetone smell and I am not sure how to fix it. It started after I was doing bulk feeds for bagels. My final product always comes out good but how can I get it back to the nice sweet flour-y slight acidic smell? I do keep it in the fridge with a lid but only keep about 1/2-1 cup.

We've grown to 136 members in just four days. That's not a community. That's a movement. Whether you're here to bake your first loaf or sharpen skills you've been building for years, you're in the right place. This is a no-gatekeeping zone. Perfection is not required. Just show up, ask questions, share your wins (and your fails), and let's make some bread together. A few things to get you started: ✅ Introduce yourself. Drop a post and tell us who you are and what brought you to bread. We want to know you. ✅ Check out the classroom. Six courses are live and ready. Start with the basics or jump to what interests you. ✅ Enter the January Giveaway. Three winners will receive a signed copy of my book, a sachet of Vitale Sourdough Starter, and a Goldie Jar. Details pinned in the feed. ✅ Jump into the conversation. Polls, recipe drops, weekend bake check-ins. Don't lurk. This community runs on participation. Now let me introduce our founding members: @Eric Dobis @Maurice Mastrapasqua @Sania Nicoson @Achaia Green @Kondu Ebah @Tracy Havlik @Lander Victorine @Jami Steiger @Peggy Joriman @Teresa Van Roey @Lin Landrum @Sheila Storch @Steve Kallenbach @Sandra Jager @Andrew Beck @Elaine Morris @Lauren Pope @Jennifer Farnand @Chris Caldwell @April Sullivan @Marie Baumgartner @Susan Hicks @Robert Allen @Jessica Wright @Iris Wiener @John Elliott @Kathleen Judd @Laurie Sugita @Patt Stanaway @Ragini Lipka @Bruce Nollert @Linda Manrodt @Jim O'Toole @Valerie Spielman @Brenda Zohn @Betty Torrey @Debbie Piette @Jen Dolan @Elizabeth Castleman @Xanthe Walker @Dave Palmer @Whitney Sencindiver @JoAnn Amato @Belinda Kovach @Lisa Busby @Jean Kursave @Kelsey Moon @Marsha Pope @Ashli Roscher @Timothy McQuaid @Kristie Pickering @Tina Gowers @Brenda Mallory @Kerri Newman @Fati Sanogo @Shane Werlinger @Jose Gomez @Jo Wong @Anne-Marie Bilella @Emme Smith @Elisa H @Dana Martin @Leigh Flynn @Brian Zeller @Jacquie Rodriguez @Bruce Coleman @Elisa Hirsch @Terri Pevsner @Jennifer Finlinson @Betsy Carey @Janine Bowlin @Denise Passero @Priscilla Fuesting @Tina Carrigan @Deborah Bakunas @Susan Blake @Dawn Hunt @Cheryl Odden @Kim Basso @Brian Quattlebaum @Suzanne Semago @Carol Gray @Vicki Gensini @Dave Whitney @Brett Thomas @Shirley Suttle @Heather Lattanzio @Janice Haugjord @Jamie Olson @Janice Cockfield @Donna Angelo @Ann Snow @Cheryl Brosso @Colleen Vergara @Kim Patterson @Sian Hawkins @Nancy Ulrich Crotty @Mona Bray @Roxie Brown @Katherine Royce @Lin Ruggles @Sheri Higgins @Candi Brown-McGriff @Deborah Otts @Betsy Coward @Patty OBrien @Linda Hammond @Linda Glantz @Linda DeCaprio @Carrie Horst @Kelly Mucci @Akorede Aramide @Inbar Ben Amos @Samantha Mayers @Maria Kajka @Donna McConnell @Darren Carter @Karen Adair @Amy Asselta @Heidi Rosen @Insay Guanzon @Allison King @Cristina Ivan @Diana Jimmie @Fred Haskell @Barbara Basl @Yolanda Hunter @Henry Hunter @Joelle Corbridge @Rob Thilo @Arian Eldredge @Deborah Easterling-Charles @Harriett Fitzgerald @Melissa Velik

I want to hear from you. Whether you're brand new to bread or you've been baking for years, we all hit walls. Maybe it's shaping. Maybe your starter is acting moody. Maybe you can't get the crust you want or your crumb stays dense no matter what you try. Drop your biggest challenge below and I'll do my best to help. Bonus: you'll probably find out you're not alone. No question is too basic. We're all here to learn.