What's wrong with my sourdough starter?

[fizzymom]

I have some sourdough starter that just isn't very "sour" tasting any more. I have to admit that it has been abused a bit (I forgot about it in the back of my refridgerator for a while-- a long while: ) It is still alive and I've been feeding it regularly lately but I would really like to get it to taste more sour, like it used to.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[TigerTail]

did you leave it out while feeding it? barley malt sugar livens it up some... rye flour can really make it sour up, try feeding it some of that.

suse

[cathe]

I would also suggest leaving it out for a day or two to sour it up.

[fizzymom]

I've left it out for about 24 hours at a time after feeding it, but wasn't really sure how long it was safe to keep leaving it out. I know that a lot of people use starter with water in it, but this one uses milk(It is an old family starter, one that my uncle began in 1963 and so far I'm the only one to manage to screw it up ). I had not thought to try a different type of flour or the barley malt sugar.

Suseyblue-- How much barley malt sugar?: