✦ Starter Troubleshooting ✦
She's fine. That's hooch, and it's alcohol.
When a starter runs out of food, the yeast keeps working with what's left and gives off alcohol as a byproduct. It separates and sits on top. Gray, brown, or clear are all normal. The darker it is, the longer she's been hungry.
What to do. Pour it off, or stir it back in if you want a tangier loaf. Then feed her as usual. She should perk up within a few hours.
If she's been sitting a while, give her two feedings about twelve hours apart before you count on her for bread. One feed will wake her; two will get her strong enough to raise a loaf.
Worth changing. Regular hooch means the gap between feedings is too long for how warm your kitchen is. Either feed more often, use a bigger ratio of flour and water to starter, or move her somewhere cooler.