You will hear conflicting information on hooch. Hooch is the liquid that sits on top of your starter when it is starving. It is the acid separating from the starter. I follow a rule of thumb where I only mix it in if it is a light color. If it is a dark color, I would pour it off. If you want to be on the safer side, feel free to pour it off regardless of color. It will not negatively affect your starter.
