How to take care of a sourdough starter? I am a beginner bread maker and just bought a San Francisco Sourdough starter.
The instructions ask to discard part of the starter on day 5 of activating the starter.
Why is that?
If some of the starter is not removed, it becomes overly acidic.  Too much acid reduces the leavening effect of the starter.  Removing and feeding keeps the acid in balance.