How can a sourdough starter be 100 years old?

Question

I keep seeing sourdough starters all over socials. How can sourdough starters be many years old. Don’t you need to use the starter to make the bread? ELI5!

In: Other

Answer 1

It’s like saying a forest is 1000 years old. Doesn’t mean the trees in that forest are 1000 years old, yeah? Yeast normally lives about a week, but as long as they’re popping out baby yeast…