Debate: Did my sourdough starter fail because of the water or the flour?

I started a sourdough starter about 3 weeks ago and it went totally sideways. Day 5 it looked great, bubbly and doubled in size. Then day 8 it just quit, got a weird smell and never rose again. I used tap water from my kitchen sink in Chicago but my buddy says chlorine kills the yeast. He uses bottled spring water and his starter took off after 4 days. But I also used a different brand of whole wheat flour than him. Which one do you think killed my starter, the water or the flour? Has anyone else had a starter die on them like this out of nowhere?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason_flores211mo ago

Bottled water is a racket unless your tap tastes like a swimming pool.

jenny_sullivan971mo ago

See, @mason_flores21, I gotta push back on that one. Tap water can be nasty in some places, sure, but bottled water is way more than just a scam for a lot of folks. You're paying for convenience, for a consistent taste, and for the peace of mind that comes with a sealed bottle when you're out hiking or at a festival. Plus, the water in those bottles often goes through a lot more filtering than what comes out of your kitchen sink, even if your tap does taste fine.