I think everyone is wrong about sourdough starter discard
Last week I had a huge order for 200 sourdough bagels and my starter was going crazy. I see all these fancy recipes for using the discard in pancakes or crackers, but that's a waste of time when you're busy. I just threw out about three cups of it over two days. People act like it's a crime, but my bagels turned out perfect and I saved an hour of extra work. Has anyone else just tossed it without feeling bad?
My neighbor gave me a jar of her starter last month and I killed it in four days flat. I forgot it on the counter and it turned into this gray, smelly liquid. I felt a little bad, but honestly, starting over with my own was way easier than trying to save it. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.
My first starter lasted about a week before I left it in a cold oven and then preheated it... faith814, you're not alone. That gray liquid phase is a special kind of failure. I spent two whole days trying to bring mine back with fancy flour before I gave up. Starting fresh felt like admitting defeat, but it was the best move.