Entreat, read my thread for an easy starter. I forgot about hooch. My first starter turned feral very quickly, but the second one didn't develop any hooch at all, ever. And I treated him pretty mean! None of my loaves were really really sour. An acquired taste (for me, no one else liked it, hence why I gave it away), but still yum.

I think the 'sponge' is active starter, isn't it? I always forget that word.