ProcessBeginner

Hooch

Liquid on hungry starter (alcohol from yeast).

The grayish or brownish liquid that forms on top of a neglected or hungry sourdough starter. It's mostly alcohol produced by the yeast. You can stir it back in or pour it off before feeding.

Put this into practice

Sourdough Starter Guide

Use the starter guide for maintenance, recovery, feeding, and common starter problems.

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By Henry Hunter · Updated October 1, 2026

Henry's notes from the bench

Hooch means your starter ran out of food. Feed it more often, or feed it a bigger ratio of fresh flour and water so it lasts longer between feedings.

Diagnose and fix

Dark hooch forming daily

Your starter is going hungry between feedings. Feed at a bigger ratio (1:3:3 or 1:5:5 starter:flour:water), feed twice a day, or keep it somewhere cooler.

Sourdough Starter Feeding

Watch it at the bench

Your Sourdough Starter Isn't Dead. She's Just Dramatic.

My Starter Was Drowning in Hooch. Here’s How I Brought It Back.

Hooch | Crust & Crumb Word of the Day #breadbaking #artisanbread #sourdoughbread #homebaking

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Go deeper

BakingGreatBread.blog

Navigating the Sourdough Journey: Hooch, Hydration and More

Full article