Oh man, my book club just gave up and ordered pizza.

Totally get the paranoia, I did a 45-day ribeye in a mini fridge once and it felt like a science experiment gone wrong. The smell alone would clear a room, like blue cheese and wet leather had a baby. You're right though, that rail car method is next level trust in the process. Makes you realize modern food safety rules have completely rewired our brains. That old school dry age must have tasted like pure meat candy, but yeah, no way I'd try it without a full lab report first.

Check your water's chlorine levels too, not just hardness. I had to let my tap water sit out overnight so the chlorine evaporates before using it for my starter. The chlorine can kill the wild yeast just as easily as hard water minerals mess with it.

That "embrace the chaos" advice can be a double-edged sword. In my experience, it only helps if you already have some basic skills to build on. Telling a total beginner to just go with the mess can keep them from learning proper form. It feels like skipping steps. You need some structure first, then you can break the rules later. Letting go only works after you know what you're letting go of.

Mandelic acid is usually gentler, but that concentration was far too high for home use.