In topics that I have read relating to creating your own starter, there
is always a mention of tossing the starter if the color is pink or
smells bad. I have not had this happen (pink color), but was
questioning this since I use hard red wheat red flour it is a bit pink
in color. If the starter was pink, would it bubble and smell like
yeast/alcohol also? Or would it just sit and not do anything?

When I use AP flour, my starter smells so much better and more 'yeasty'
but the whole wheat almost smells bad to me. The wheat makes good
bread and rises well. I have Carls' starter and mine own starter in
the red wheat and it smells the same. But Carls' starter using the AP
flour smells much more 'attractive'. It may just be my red wheat that
causes this particular smell.

My biggest concern is that I am not consuming something that is
dangerous or contains something other than the correct bacteria and
yeast.

Growing up, I raised aquarium fish and used microworms to feed the
fish. They grew in cornmeal and yeast and the smell is similar to the
whole wheat starter. Anyway, not very pleasant to me and I don't want
to be cooking with worms! I know. Extra protein .....

John