If you had told me many years ago that I could make enticingly crunchy, tender, and healthy bread at home with only a few elemental ingredients, I would not have believed you.
I would have claimed that baking bread requires a professional mixer, a specialized oven, and a list of ingredients so long your eyes start to glaze over. But now I perform this alchemy daily in my home kitchen: transforming three basic ingredients into wholesome sourdough bread. How does one begin the journey of making naturally leavened bread at home? It starts with, well, making a sourdough starter from scratch.
A healthy sourdough starter means great bread.
Despite all the mysticism and lore about creating the concoction, a sourdough starter is merely a naturally fermenting mixture of flour and water. Add water to dry flour, let it sit on the counter for a few days, and you’ll see nature weave life into a once lifeless lump: bubbles will appear and the mixture will rise.
This natural fermentation can be harnessed and (once it is stable) controlled to produce bread so flavorful and healthy that it’s hard to go back to anything else.
I created my sourdough starter years ago (using this sourdough starter recipe), and it’s the same one I use to this day. It’s a spoiled brat now, to be sure, thanks to all my coddling, but in exchange for my attention and flour, it stays on schedule. Besides, when I’m baking, it does the heaviest lifting (bread nerd joke, sorry). Initially, it was the quintessential rebellious child. Sometimes it wouldn’t show any fermentation activity, and at other times it was utterly unruly. Back then, I didn’t realize what it needed to thrive. I didn’t see how vital timely refreshments (also called feedings) were or how much temperature impacts fermentation.
The key to raising a well-adjusted starter is to observe its needs, give it space to grow, and adjust the refreshments to encourage maximum fermentation activity. And a healthy starter means great bread.
But first, let’s quickly look at what a sourdough starter is.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
At a high level, a sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that hosts a stable blend of beneficial bacteria and wild yeasts. This mixture is continually maintained with regular refreshments (or feedings) and is used to leaven and flavor new bread dough. The starter is the cornerstone of successful sourdough baking, and especially for a home baker with changing environmental conditions in the kitchen, learning how to care for and use one is the key to bread with the best flavor, texture, and keeping qualities.
A Few Tips Before We Begin
Water that’s high in chlorine or chloramine (disinfectants used by some cities to clean tap water) can impede fermentation. The night before you want to make your starter, fill a large jug with tap water and let it sit out uncovered overnight to allow any chlorine to dissipate. If your city uses chloramine instead of chlorine, letting a jar sit out overnight will not work. In this case, you’ll have to use bottled water or filtered water (if you are concerned, you can test your water with over-the-counter test kits to determine whether there are additives or other issues). Alternatively, you could use bottled spring water until you get your starter fermenting reliably, then try switching back to tap water with a portion of the starter to see if it’s able to handle the tap water (but don’t use all of it just in case it doesn’t work).
After you mix the flour and water in the jar, be sure to keep the jar lightly covered during the rest of the process. Either a porous cloth or a lid resting on top of the jar will work well. Use a container with enough headspace for the mixture to rise—I like to give at least 5-inches of headspace. Additionally, it’s a good idea to place your jar in a bowl while it’s resting in case the mixture overflows.
During the first couple of days, there’s often a surge in fermentation activity that then drops off dramatically; this situation is probably caused by other yeast and bacteria that are initially present but eventually die off. When this happens, many first-timers think that it has “died,” and they start over. Don’t be fooled by this lapse of activity; continue with the schedule and eventually, the desired yeast and bacteria will move in and stabilize the starter.
The entire process is exceptionally temperature-dependent. Instead of a typical cooler room temperature, I find a warm temperature of around 80°F (26°C) helps kickstart activity since this is near the temperature at which the bacteria and yeast are most active. A home dough proofer (which I highly recommend) and a yogurt maker are great tools for maintaining such an environment. If not, a home oven, turned off, with the light on the inside (and a thermometer to monitor the temperature), or a microwave with a bowl of warm water inside, will both work well.
For even more tips on this whole process and many things related to sourdough starters, check out my Sourdough Starter Frequently Asked Questions page →
Helpful Tools to Make a Sourdough Starter
You can see a rundown of all the tools I use for baking sourdough, vetted over years of baking, over at my favorite sourdough baking tools page. Here, I list what I consider the necessary tools to get started:
Weck glass jar
Have at least two clean jars on hand. I like these Weck jars (#743, 3/4 liter jars) best because they taper out towards the top, making it easy to stir, and they don’t have any hard-to-clean lips or edges. Also, using the glass lid without the provided rubber seal and clips provides just enough of a seal to keep moisture and heat trapped inside.
I recommend using glass jars because you can easily see the fermentation as it progresses. It can also help to place a rubber band around the jar at the height of your starter after mixing so you have a visual guide for how high it rises between refreshments. Two more reasons I like these jars: they’re high quality and very economical. They are canning jars, so you can use them for many other things around the kitchen (jam, homemade pesto, dried fruit, cereals, and so on).
Silicone spatula
I use a small, firm spatula to do my feedings. It’s sturdy and easy to clean with a sponge, and if things get messy, you can run it through the dishwasher.
Scale
A kitchen scale is indispensable and guarantees accuracy when measuring the amount of flour needed for each starter refreshment. Measuring flour by volume is inherently imprecise as the amount of flour packed into a measuring cup can vary. Further, it’s a good idea to get used to using a scale for weighing ingredients, as this method is essential for improving your baking consistency.
Rye flour
Using whole grain (“dark”) rye flour helps expedite the fermentation process. In comparison to white flour, rye flour is teeming with extra nutrients that help kickstart the entire process. If you don’t have rye flour, a good quality organic whole wheat will also work well.
Unbleached, all-purpose, white flour
With my starter of 10+ years, and outlined in my post on how I feed (refresh) my starter these days, I typically refresh it with 70% all-purpose flour (or bread flour) and 30% whole rye flour. I like this mix because you get the fermentation boost from the whole-grain flour and the white flour’s increased gas-trapping ability and gluten strength. This helps me spot the signs of fermentation throughout the day and is a good compromise, using just enough whole grains without my starter getting overly acidic too quickly.
Thermometer
An instant-read thermometer will help monitor the temperature of your starter and ensure that it’s in the optimal range for increasing fermentation activity.
My Free Sourdough Starter Quicksheet
My sourdough starter quicksheet is a free, one-page printable guide to feeding, maintaining, and using my sourdough starter. Download it, print it, and keep it in your baking notebook for quick reference!
Starter Refreshment (Feeding)Schedule
In the beginning, your starter refreshments will occur just once a day. As your culture becomes more active, you’ll increase this to twice a day. Because of the frequency of these feedings, one of my goals is to help you set things up so it’s quick and easy to do your feedings and move on with your day. Once you get the hang of things, you only need about 5 to 10 minutes per day to keep your starter going–totally manageable.
A sourdough starter is very resilient. If you forget to feed it one day or feed it several hours after it needed a refreshment, don’t worry, in almost all cases it will spring back.
The following sourdough starter recipe schedule will provide you with a reliable and robust sourdough starter in 6 to 9 days. Once you have the culture stable, it will last indefinitely as long as you refresh it regularly. If you don’t plan to bake frequently, you can toss the starter in the fridge and feed it only once a week. (I’ll discuss this in more detail later in this post.)
Your schedule will follow the natural rise and fall of your starter. As soon as you feed it, the yeast and bacteria in your culture will begin to metabolize the sugars in the flour, creating gasses (among other things) as a byproduct. These gasses cause the starter to rise throughout the day as seen above. Once they subside, then the starter falls.
Daily Refreshment Process
At each refreshment, we will perform the following quick steps:
- Stir your starter a little bit with your spatula
- Place a clean jar on your scale and scoop in some portion (outlined below) from the jar you just stirred down
- Add fresh flour and water; mix well to incorporate completely
- Cover the jar loosely and let rest until the next feeding
That’s it! Once you get your process down, it should take no more than a few minutes each day.
Sourdough Starter Recipe: Making an Incredible Sourdough Starter from Scratch
Day One
Initially, I like to use two jars for this process: each time you refresh, swap in a clean jar. Starting on Day 4, you can use the same jar: discard down and add fresh flour and water.
I first like to weigh the jars I’m using (without the lids) to find their empty weight. Then, take a permanent marker and write the jar’s weight on the bottom. This way, we know the baseline weight of the jar so we can quickly figure out how much starter to keep during each refreshment.
In the morning, place a clean, empty jar on the scale and tare (the “tare” button on your scale will zero it out after you place your jar on top. This will allow you to measure the flour and water your place in your jar and exclude the jar’s weight). To that jar, add 100 grams whole grain rye flour and 125 grams water and mix until all dry bits are incorporated. If it’s cool in your kitchen, warm the water to 80°F (26°C) before mixing. Lightly cover the jar and set it in a warm place–80°F to 85°F (26°C to 29°C) is ideal–and out of direct sunlight for 24 hours.
Day Two
You may or may not already see some fermentation activity. As mentioned above, this potential initial surge of activity is typical and should subside around Day 3. What you can see below is how my initial mixture expanded significantly (in fact it bubbled out of the jar; this is why setting the jar in a bowl is a good idea). Don’t be discouraged if the surge disappears by the third or fourth day. Stick to the schedule, and it will come back!
Place a second, empty jar on the scale and tare so that it reads 0 grams. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture that has been resting for 24 hours. Next, add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams all-purpose flour, and 115 grams of water. Again, if it’s cold, warm the water to 80°F(26°C).
Mix well until all dry bits are incorporated, cover, and place in the same warm spot for 24 hours. Discard the rest of the mixture in the first jar and clean it in preparation for the next day.
Day Three
In the morning, you may start to see more activity, or you may see none. You can see below that the initial surge of action I had on Day 2 disappeared. However, my mixture started to show the beginning signs of beneficial yeast and bacteria taking hold: some bubbles on the top and at the sides, rose to some degree, and it started to take on a sour aroma.
Regardless of what signs your mixture is presenting, don’t fret and stick to the schedule. Remember, if it’s cold in your kitchen, warm your water to 80°F (26°C) to help speed things along.
If a layer of clear liquid (“hooch”) forms on the top of your mixture just stir it back in and keep with the schedule.
Place a new, clean jar on the scale and tare. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture that rested overnight and add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams all-purpose flour, and 115 grams water. Stir until well incorporated. Cover the jar and let it rest for 24 hours.
Discard the rest of the mixture in the first jar and clean it in preparation for the next day.
Day Four
This day is the first day of the process that has two refreshments in a single day: one in the morning, and one approximately 12 hours later.
In the morning, you should start to see signs of fermentation activity if you haven’t already, and begin to see them again if you experienced the surge-and-drop that I described above. There will be bubbles scattered on the sides and top, and the level of the mixture might have risen and fallen a little (evidenced by streaks on the sides of the jar).
Refresh in the same way that you did on Day 3. Place a clean jar on the scale and tare. Scoop in 75 grams of the mixture from the jar that fermented overnight, add 50 grams rye flour, 50 grams all-purpose flour, and 115 grams water. Mix thoroughly, cover, and let rest for 12 hours.
Discard the rest of the mixture in the first jar. From here on, simply use the same jar each day (no need to switch to a clean jar) by discarding the contents down and adding fresh flour and water as instructed.
After this 12-hour rest during the day, discard the contents to 75 grams and refresh again with the same ratio of ingredients. Let the new mixture rest for 12 hours (overnight).
Day Five and Six
For Days 5 and 6, continue to discard down the contents of the jar and then refresh with the same ratio of ingredients as you did on Day 4, twice a day. You will see fermentation activity increase more and more. If you’ve written the weight of the empty jar on the bottom as I indicated on Day 1, you should know exactly how much the resulting weight of the jar plus carried over starter will be—discard down to this weight.
Keep using the same jar for these refreshments.
Day Seven and Onward
In the morning on Day 7, discard what’s in the jar down to 20 grams of the mixture. To this, add 30 grams rye flour, 70 grams all-purpose flour, and 100 grams water. Mix thoroughly, cover, and let rest for 12 hours during the day. In the evening (after about 12 hours), discard the jar contents down to 20g, add the same ratio of ingredients as earlier in the day, and let rest 12 hours (overnight).
At this point, you should see the height of your starter rise and fall in the jar predictably each day. This periodic behavior is a good indicator that it is strong enough for you to use for your first loaf of bread. If your starter is still struggling to show activity, continue the refreshment schedule with the same ratio of ingredients for another day–or even several more days–until things pick up. The process of stabilization can sometimes take longer, depending on the flour used and the environment (especially if it’s cool in your kitchen). Be patient and stick to the schedule!
Once you get the hang of your starter and its feeding schedule, feel free to adjust the ratio of ingredients. For example, in warmer months I’ll reduce my mature starter carryover to 10g to 20g depending on the temperature. To read more about how I change these ratios and maintain my starter, check out my comprehensive sourdough starter guide page which includes my current feeding schedule, an in-depth FAQ, and more.
The starter will continue to develop flavor and strength over the next week and into the future. With an active starter, you can now use a portion of it when it is ripe. A starter is ripe when it has risen, is bubbly on the surface and at the sides, has a sour aroma, and has a looser consistency than when first refreshed.
Having issues? Check out my list of the 21 most common sourdough starter problems (with solutions) →
What is the Best Flour to Feed My Sourdough Starter?
I get asked this question often. Once your starter is rising and falling predictably, it’s okay to switch your refreshment flour to suit your preference. You can continue with a mixture of rye and all-purpose, change to 100% all-purpose white flour, or even switch to using 100% whole wheat.
There is no right or wrong flour to use when feeding a starter.
Each flour will affect the starter in a different way, changing how fast it ferments, how acidic it becomes in the same timeframe, and eventually, the final flavor profile. There is no right or wrong flour to use when maintaining your starter; it’s up to you and your starter!
Next Steps For a Healthy Sourdough Starter
After your starter rises and falls predictably, review my sourdough starter maintenance routine for all the steps I do to keep my starter healthy. You can adjust your feeding schedule based on your baking frequency. If you can bake almost every day, you’ll want to feed your starter once daily to keep it ready-to-use shape. If you want to bake only on the weekends, you can put your starter in the refrigerator to slow down its activity.
You can also scale down your starter and maintain a smaller one. Scaling down your starter will mean less flour and water needed for each refreshment (to save ingredients). See my guide to maintaining a smaller sourdough starter for a recipe and process.
What If I Need a Break From Maintaining My Starter?
Maintaining a sourdough starter should always be on our terms, not the other way around. Maintaining a starter indefinitely can be daunting, but there are ways to put your starter on pause if you need a break from baking for a while. Remember, the refrigerator is our friend to slowing fermentation, and there are even ways to stop all fermentation activity altogether (and it can stay this year for years!).
How Can I Save Sourdough Starter Discard?
Once your starter is rising and falling predictably each day, and only then, to ensure you have the right mix of suitable bacteria and wild yeasts in the culture, you can save the discard. I keep a jar in my fridge where I collect all discards and keep them for up to 2 weeks. Then, when I want to make pancakes, waffles, or another discard recipe, I can use starter from my sourdough starter discard cache at a moment’s notice.
Final Thoughts
These days, refreshing my sourdough starter is a liturgical part of my day. It takes minutes to provide my starter with fresh flour and water. In return, my starter produces flavorful and healthy bread. I like to think it’s me making the bread; it’s me controlling fermentation, it’s my hands mixing and shaping the dough. But the reality is, I’m just a small cog in nature’s machinery. All I need to do is lend a helping hand and stay out of the way. Happy baking and buon appetito!
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Sourdough Starter Recipe
- Prep Time: 7 days
- Total Time: 168 hours
- Yield: 1 sourdough starter
- Category: Sourdough, Baking, Bread, Starter
- Cuisine: American
Description
This sourdough starter recipe will help you create your own sourdough starter from scratch at home in seven easy steps. Your starter is the cornerstone of great bread—once you have it showing consistent signs of fermentation each day, which takes on average 5 to 7 days, you’re ready to start baking sourdough bread!
Ingredients
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 400g whole-grain rye flour
- 800g water
Instructions
- Day One
To a clean jar, add 100g whole rye flour and 125g warm water. Mix ingredients and keep somewhere warm for 24 hours. - Day Two
To clean jar, add 75g of the mixture from Day One (discard the rest), 50g whole rye flour, 50g all-purpose flour, and 115g water. Mix ingredients and keep somewhere warm for 24 hours. - Day Three
To a clean jar, add 75g of the mixture from Day Two (discard the rest), 50g whole rye flour, 50g all-purpose flour, and 115g water. Mix ingredients and keep somewhere warm for 24 hours. - Day Four
On day four, you will give the mixture two feedings. In a clean jar, add 75g of the mixture from Day Three (discard the rest), 50g whole rye flour, 50g all-purpose flour, and 115g water. Mix and let rest for 12 hours. In the evening, after 12 hours, repeat the discarding and feeding you did in the morning. Let the mixture rest overnight. - Day Five and Six
For days five and six, continue to discard down the jar contents and then feed with the same ratio of ingredients as Day Four, twice a day. You can use the same jar for these feedings. - Day Seven and Onward
In the morning on Day Seven, discard the jar’s contents down to 20g of the mixture and add 30g whole rye flour, 70g all-purpose flour, and 100g water. Repeat this feeding twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, indefinitely.
Notes
You don’t have to use a new, clean jar each time you feed your starter, but I find it’s helpful to keep track of the weight of the jar so you know how much you’re carrying over.
If you use my method for creating a starter, tag @maurizio on Instagram and use the hashtag #theperfectloaf so I can take a look!
Sourdough Starter Creation FAQs
Why do you need a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is a continually maintained mixture of wild yeast and suitable bacteria used to seed fermentation in new dough for bread, pastry, and more.
How long does it take for a sourdough starter to be ready?
In general, I’ve found it takes about 7 days from when you first mix flour and water to when a sourdough starter is ready to be used to bake bread.
Is a homemade sourdough starter safe?
A well-maintained sourdough starter can live virtually indefinitely. The high-acid environment of the sourdough starter helps stave off any unwanted pathogens. However, if you see any signs of traditional mold (pink, white fuzzy, green), it’s best to discard the entire starter and start a new one.
Should I make or buy a sourdough starter?
While buying a sourdough starter is very easy online, it’s a very easy process to do at home! Plus, creating your own starter exposes you to the signs of fermentation, what steps you need to perform to maintain your starter, and gives you a chance to get to know the feeding (refreshment) process.
How long does it take for a sourdough starter to peak?
Some bakers use the term “peak” to refer to either the point at which a starter is ready to be used or needs feeding, or it can refer to the physical peak height of the starter in the jar. I find judging a sourdough starter’s readiness based solely on the height it has risen to may lead to using it at an incorrect time. After all, the height of a starter is simply a display of the strength and other characteristics of the flour. To determine when your starter is ready to be fed (or used for baking), look for a combination of signs: some rise, bubbles on top and at the sides, a sour aroma, and a loose consistency (it should loosen the longer it ferments). From there, use the timeframe for fermentation as a guide: at about 72-78F (22-25C) with 30-50% whole grain flour and 20% ripe starter (the seed, or inoculation), it might be ready after 12-16 hours.
Why doesn’t my sourdough starter have big bubbles?
It’s okay if your starter doesn’t have big bubbles. Large bubbles can be the result of the flour you’re using and the hydration. What’s more important overall, is to see strong signs of consistent fermentation: some bubbles, consistent rise each day, a sour aroma, a loosening in texture.
Why is my sourdough starter not rising?
It’s worrisome if you don’t see any rise in your starter, you should see some. Usually, no rise is a sign it’s not fermenting properly and needs more time to establish. Continue with the feeding schedule outlined in my guide on how to make a sourdough starter and it should begin fermenting after a few days.
What’s Next?
If you’re looking for something to make with the discarded sourdough starter that you’re generating every day, have a look at my sourdough waffles, sourdough pancakes, and sourdough banana bread.
If you need a high-level look at each step of the bread-making process, read through our Beginner’s Guide to Sourdough Bread.
2,663 Comments
Hello!
I’m super keen to bake a good loaf of sourdough bread. Had another starter but couldn’t maintain it and felt lost with all the recipes online but your blog is super clear so decided to stick to the guides here! Started a new started after purchasing some proper tools and will follow your weekend feeding schedule once it start working properly.
But, I’m in day 5 at the moment, there is no fall and rise at all since I switched to 12 hr feeding. I live in Scotland so no matter I do it is a bit cold, I try to cover the starter with some clothes and it was going as planned until day 3 (with even less bubbles)! However for day 4 and 5 it still looks like the image you have for day 3 without and sign of falling and rising.
Should I be patient and keep to the schedule or should I increase the starter amount oooor should I switch back to the 24 hr feeding?
Not sure what to do! Really want to get it right this time, would be very glad if you can help!
Hey, Melody! Yes, what you’re seeing is pretty typical — especially so when it’s cool (ideally 80°F would be optimal to get things going quickly). I’d say stay at the step you’re on and make sure to give it some rye flour in part of the mix, even just 25% of the flour will help. Try to keep it warm during this time as well. In addition to wrapping it with cloth like you have, warm the water slightly (the microwave works well) before adding it to your mixture. If you have a thermometer, make sure the water is around 80°F (don’t go too high!).
Stick with it — it can be frustrating during this time but keep with the same feedings and keep it warm, eventually you’re starter will pick up. Let me know if you’re still having issues after another few days or up to a week!
Hi Maurizio thanks a lot for the quick reply! Actually I just came to home to find some surprising activity in the starter after 2 days of silence! But your answer was super helpful in terms of understanding the problem. Also, I do keep 50% of the flour rye as you suggest in the guide.
Thanks a lot, if this will keep repeating will have to focus on the warmth of the water more.
Hello,
Super keen to get this started! My question is can you use 100% Rye flour for the feeding and then use something like spelt flour for the beginners loaf? I have a wheat allergy but tend to be okay with ancient grains including rye and spelt? Any advice would be much appreciated?
Sophie — you definitely can do that. A 100% rye starter will work just fine. Just be aware the bread dough will be a bit different with 100% spelt: it’s typically a little more sensitive to over hydration (you might want to start at around 70% hydration and work up) and the dough can be more extensible (ability for it to stretch out before resisting) than modern wheat. It’ll definitely make for a delicious bread!
I’ve been following your steps to make a starter, and Besdies the fact that it’s day 4 and super bubbly (still not ready to use? Can I use the discard or not fermented enough?), I have been using white spelt instead of the all purpose you call for. Should I be changing the amount of water as I’m noticing what you mention here? I don’t understand what 70 percent means.
Once you see predictable rise and fall each day, then it’s ready to be used. This is typically 6-10 days, but the timing varies based on many factors. That’s ok if you’re using white spelt, that’ll work well also. You might want to try reducing the water some if it feels overly wet/soupy. When I say 70% hydration, I me the amount of water is 70% of the flour (this is what’s called “baker’s percentages,” every ingredient is in relation to the total flour. See my Beginner’s Sourdough Recipe for an explination!). For example, if you had 100g of flour, 70% hydration would mean to that flour you’d add 70g (70/100 = 70%).
I hope that helps!
Hi I have a vibrant sourdough starter that I made using Jim Lahey’s Sullivan Street Bakery book. I have been able to make sourdough bread, brioche and other breads with my natural starter from his recipe. Can I use this starter to approximate your finished starter by taking 50 grams of it and adding 50 g of rye flour, 50 g of all purpose and 100 g of water? I want to make the Einkornmiche from the website
Hey, John! As long as your starter is rising and falling predictably, which is sounds like it is, you’re good to go. You can just use your own starter or adapt a bit of yours to use my flour ratios, if you’d like. Both will work well.
Thanks for your advice Maurizio Leo! I will be making the Einkorn Miche next weekend.
Hello I’m making my starter following your steps, I’m on day 8 or even more and my starter struggles, it never doubles in 12 hours (lot of bubbles and little rise). Now I found that here you say to use a ratio of 1:2:2 and in the other post (maintaining sourdough you say to use a ratio of 1:1:1. Now I’m confused, maybe that’s why my sourdough doesn’t rise much, too much feeding? I’m keeping feeding it every 12 hours but the impression is that at every feeding it has not digested all the previous flour. So what is the right ratio?
It’s ok if your starter doesn’t double exactly, just so long as you’re seeing a consistent rise and fall, with plenty of signs of fermentation (which it sounds like you’re getting), your starter should be just fine to work with.
If you feed it too early you can run into an issue where the feedings are too soon, long before it’s able to fully metabolize the flour fed at the last feeding. Typically a good sign is when the starter begins to fall in the jar, this is a general indicator it’s time for a new feeding.
For the ratio: it can really be anything you’d like! Whatever works well for you and your starter. I actually vary mine based on the season, if it’s overly warm I might use less mature starter in each feeding to draw out the schedule. Conversely, if it’s cool in my kitchen, I might use more starter each feeding to speed up the schedule.
I hope that helps!
Just take your starter out and feed it as normal to get it back on track, you don’t have to start over from scratch.
Hello and thank you so much for your website – reading it gives me hope that I might actually succeed at making a sourdough starter! If I used a 50/50 ratio of whole wheat and white Einkorn flour do you think that would work? I prefer to bake with Einkorn and it’s all I have on hand. Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome! Sure, that will work just fine. Einkorn is a wonderful grain 🙂
I would recommend feeding it consistently for a few days after taking it out of the fridge before using it to bake.
Hi, I have started my sourdough starter and is turning out really good. I am not going to used it often so I am planning to keep it in the refrigerator. My main concern is how should I feed it ?
Should I feed it with 50g starter + 100g flour + 100g water OR 75g starter + 100g flour + 125g water ?
As I read so far, most of them recommend using a stiffer dough if I am planning to keep it in the fridge.
Another concern I have is, if I were to feed it using 50g starter + 100g flour + 100g water , is this my new guideline for hydration level ?
PLEASE HELP ME !
I prefer to mix it up to a more stiff consistency when keeping it in the fridge. I’d go with your second option. You can really change the hydration whenever you’d like, just because you change it one time for a particular feed doesn’t mean you can’t switch back. That’s completely up to you.
HI Maurizio! Started my first sourdough starter last night, and placed it in the oven with the light on…. When I got up this morning I took a temperature reading, and the starter was at 102F with no visible activity (10 hrs post starting). Fearing the starter was too warm, I placed it in the microwave (off) just to keep it some what insulated during the day. Is this starter a loss due to reaching a higher temperature?
It might be just fine, Brett. See if you can feed it for a few days and get it back to regularity. I think it’s above 110°F where things really have issues, if I recall correctly.
Hi Maurizio! The starter seems to be doing great. Today is the 3rd day, and I have been getting a good rise from it. It appears to have recovered from the 102F temp. Thanks for the help!
Happy to hear this. I did oven with the light on and my temp got in the low 100s , guess it is well insulated. I will just have to leave with room temp as I can’t find any warm spots in the house.
I just finally started mine this morning! I’ve been wanting to do sourdough for years but have been so intimidated. After I found your website I felt like it was much more approachable. My husband thinks I’m crazy because I keep peaking at the jar in the oven haha! Thank so much for this amazing resource!
That’s great to hear, Mary! It sounds technical and intimidating at first, but after a little reading it’s best to just dive right in and get started — just about everyone finds it’s not that bad once you get the hang of the process. Happy to help and most importantly, happy baking!
Hi Maurizio, I have a question before I start the process, when you feed the starter in second and all subsequent days, do you stir the fermented dough first, or just scoop up from the top before mixing it with flour and water? Does it matter? Thanks 😉
Hey, Dusica! I don’t usually stir, I just scoop out and discard. It shouldn’t really matter!
Thanks a lot:)
Hi Maurizio!
I’m on day 7, but I have only been feeding once a day. My schedule has been a little hectic, so the twice a day feeding hasn’t yet worked out. Today will be the first. What would the implications be of not doing twice a day? Would it just take longer to strengthen the starter?
I took a break from making sourdough about 9 months ago because I had so many failed attempts. However, I’m back at it. And I love your website, your insight, your approach, all of it.
Hey, Rob! It might be just fine if you feed 1x a day, it really just depends on how the mixture is progressing. I wouldn’t say it would take longer, it might actually be a good thing (if the process taking longer in your kitchen due to low temperatures, for example).
Thanks for the kind words — stick with it, it’s so rewarding! Your starter will come around soon enough. Let me know if you have any more questions and happy baking, mate!
Using leftover whey is such a great thing, I do it often when I make fresh ricotta (also check out my recipe for rosemary and polenta sourdough where I use whey to cook the polenta). I have not tried to make a starter with the whey but I’m not sure it would work: would’t all the microorganisms be killed off in the process of boiling milk? Perhaps not when making yogurt. Regardless, I have not tried this!
Salt is not added to a starter in any part of the process. I can be used if it’s kept in a very warm climate to temper fermentation, but it’s not typical.
Happy baking!
Hi Maurizio, greetings from the UK. I’m on day 7 and today I felt things changed a lot after the first morning feeding as the quiantities changed my starter got stiffer and it was pretty difficult to mix. The activity of my starter has been quite sluggish, there have been bubbles since day 1 and the pleasant sour smell but that’s about it, it hasn’t really risen. My kitchen is pretty cool and I’ve been warming the water up for the feedings, I’m still using 50/50 rye and all purpose flour. Do you think I should adjust the water to make it a bit less stiff? Shall I feed it once a day? Thanks!
Yes, you can definitely add more water to make it less stiff. The key is to keep it well hydrated in the beginning to help promote fermentation. Also, keep warming the water and keep the jar as warm as you can (80F would be great!) — this will really help get things going!
I was reading and noticed that the measurements changed throughout the process. How did you determine the amount you would discard and add in? I’ve been reading everywhere about starters and am trying to understand it so I can better gauge what mine is doing and what I need to do to keep it going.
Most of the measurements here are somewhat arbitrary and are quantities I’ve determined through my own testing. It’s what has worked for me over the years and has made many a reliable starter!
Thanks for this amazing site! My favorite resource for all things sourdough 🙂
I have a sort of embarrassing question. I recently made a starter from scratch, I’d made it and have been feeding it with 1/2 cup each of flour and water, to 1/2 cup retained starter. it took two weeks but then it seemed perfect. Ive been doing the fridge-maintenece routine (1x feeding, more if I’m going to bake.) It made one amazing loaf, one ok loaf. Today, after the just ok loaf, I decided to go back to basics and research even more. Suddenly I realized…I’d been doing it all wrong! I realized Its actually by weight, and its more like 113g starter by weight (1/2 cup ish), 113g water by weight (1/2 cup ish), 113g flour by weight (1 cup ish). Oh no!
Is my starter not good/ruined/etc? Should I start over, or can I just begin feeding with correct ratios starting now? Sorry for the long question and thanks so much for your time!!!!
You’re very welcome, Mar! No! Your starter is not ruined, it’s just fine. Keep feeing it whatever works for you and your starter, it sounds like you were baking perfectly fine with the way things were. You can also switch to any of the methods I outline here at my website as well.
On another note, definitely weigh things when baking bread! It’s much more precise, this is why all the recipes you’ll find here are by weight. Regardless, have fun and enjoy!
Thanks for this guide! I’m on day 8 and my starter is very bubbly and has risen to the top of my jar. Where do I go from here? Do I continue feeding with the 50 starter/50 rye/50 all-purpose/100 water ratio twice a day forever? Can I start baking with it today?
That’s great, Sophie! You can switch to any flour combination you’d like. Keep using rye if you want, switch to 100% white flour, or a mix of white and whole wheat. My current favorite blend is 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour. Once it’s rising and falling predictably each day (which it probably is by now!) you’re good to go! Happy baking 🙂
Hi Maurizio! Your instructions sound great and I would like to try them out, since I want to get into light sourdough baking. I have been baking full rye sourdough for 2 years now and usually super happy with my results (even though some temperate problems arose and needed fiddling around after moving from central Europe to Scotland :D). Some people just like lighter bread though, so I want to try out rye/wheat sourdough mixes. I’d like to use your instructions, thanks for posting them, but there’s just one thing that irritates me: why discard some of the dough? Couldn’t I just use the surplus to feed another batch? I don’t like the idea to throw out potential sourdough.. :/ What do you think or have you had other uses for the surplus before? Thanks for any suggestions!
Here’s a post he wrote about what to do with the leftovers: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/my-top-3-leftover-sourdough-starter-recipes/
You can also compost it! My worms love the stuff.
Hey Toni, sorry for the late reply! You do have to discard some, but you can use that discard! Check out the link @disqus_5ciEXweJZy:disqus posted below, I have some great suggestions there for using starter discard.
Also, check out my sourdough starter frequently asked questions post, lots of answers to questions just like yours!
I think I majorly messed this up. I’m on day 10 and my starter has never looked nearly as liquid, it’s rather quite heavy looking. It seems to be working in a sense, I see air pockets and it’s clear something is happening, but it doesn’t seem like it rises and falls. My kitchen is quite cold, so I heat up the water to 80 and I’ve been using 100% rye, but I’m almost through a 5lb bag and it just doesn’t look like these pictures. I’m not sure if I ruined it, it needs more time, or this is fine and I can start the bread?
With 100% rye flour it can be hard to tell sometimes whether you’re getting any significant rise (rye flour has different gluten properties than wheat, and thus, cannot trap the same amount of gas produced through fermentation). My guide above advises a switch from 100% rye to a blend of rye and wheat specifically because of this — it’s helps for those starting to see some rise in the beginning to let them know they’re on track. It’s possible your starter is just fine and ready to go, but it’s hard to say without more information. I’d suggest try feeding it 50% rye and 50% white flour for a few days and take notice of its rise and fall. The key here is we’re looking for a consistent rise about the same time each day. It’s fine if it doesn’t rise up super high in your jar, we just want to see some rise and some signs of strong fermentation (bubbles, a slightly sour smell, etc.).
Hope this helps, keep at it!
I would like your input on wether or not it would be possible to start the sourdough with the wheat/rye formula and then switch it to Einkorn flour? My partner is wheat sensitive and we would like to try einkorn sourdough. I really like the way your steps are explained and would like to follow this recipe if I am able to switch it over eventually. ( I don’t want to start with Einkorn from the beginning because it is expensive). Thank you so much, your input is appreciated!
Yes, that will work quite well. Einkorn is a wonderful grain and will make for a viable starter! Happy baking, Tiffany.
Hey! Just trying to prepare everything for my first starter. I can’t be sure if the area I’m in uses chloromine in the water, therefore I’d like to use lemon to be on the safe side. Do you have a recommended amount that you would use? I tried to open up the link you provided but I think it ,ought have expired. Thank you very much! B.
Hey, Burt! I haven’t had to do this myself, but this guide on removing chlorine might help.
Incredibly disappointed with the recommendation for the 7th day feeding to use all white flour. The beautiful sourdough smell that my starter had completely disappeared and it seemed to seize up the fermentation (It now smells like clay and there were only 2 sad little bubbles on top this morning). I think the recommendation of feeding twice a day is risky when your kitchen is chillier, which mine is. I have reverted back to 1 feeding per day with equal parts rye & all purpose bread flour. hope this resurrects it!
Sorry to hear about the issues, Dakota! Some other readers have said they’ve seen a decline in activity on that 7th day as well. I think I’ll go up and amend the post to make it clear: you can use any flour you’d like around then and keeping rye around will definitely help, especially if it’s cool in your kitchen.
Keep feeing your starter with a portion of rye, it will pick back up, it might just need time. Also, don’t worry about the lapse in activity, you didn’t “hurt” it in any way — if there’s enough bacteria/yeast in there it’ll be just fine and should spring back.
One last thing: try to keep that mixture warm! Warm up the water you use to feed in the microwave just a bit (80°F would be ideal) to help start things off right.
Keep me posted.
Hi Maurizio!! thanks for replying! I’d love to get your insight. So I switched to 50% rye flour and 50% whole wheat flour. woke up this morning to a delightful amount of bubbles. Though its not quite frothy yet, it looks like it’ll be ready to go this weekend. What do you think?
https://imgur.com/a/hFdnsC5 (hope this image works!)
thanks so much!!
Yes! That’s looking nice and strong now. Keep feeding it daily until this weekend, you should see consistent rise and fall each day around the same time if temperatures are rather stable. It’s definitely looking strong enough, you just want to ensure it’s there with that consistent activity. My guess is it’s ready to go.
Dakota. Hang in there. I experienced the same thing and it turned around 2 days after. Without the Rye in, to be honest, yes the smell has changed a bit, but the activity in bubbling has totally picked up. My 50/50 rye starter did have rise and falls, but i saw very little in the way of the bubbling. 2 days after the switch over it’s a bubble fest in there. The water floating test is working and i think this starter is good to go! I promise you the starter isn’t even dead, so resurrection isn’t a concern. If anything the yeast might have just been like, “yo…where’s my freakin rye!”
Day 7 here. Followed directions. Was getting fairly regular rises with the daily feedings. SOME bubbles but def not frothy or anywhere near as many bubbles as you have. I transferred over to just KA all purpose flour yesterday and there was almost no rise today. Again SOME bubbles on top but def not frothy. Didn’t float in water. Very sad! Should i continue this for a few days?
I will note I have been using room temperature FIJI for the feedings. Didn’t know what the chlorine content of tap is here in brooklyn.
I would continue with the feedings, don’t worry about the laps in activity. If you’d like, keep using a small percentage of rye flour with the feedings to encourage more activity. Fiji water will be great, although it’s expensive! You might be able to search online and see if your area/city/state uses chlorine in the water supply.
Stick with it!
Hey Maurizio, as I posted below things have picked up a bit.
https://imgur.com/gallery/rhHCjZE
I stuck with the all purpose flour like you originally said and have a lot of activity 2 days after the switch. I referred back to your post and see now it says 50/50 rye/apf. Did you change from the original post because I could have swore it said sticking to just APF was fine at this point.
Regardless thanks for your quick reply to help us troubleshoot.
Starter looks great, now! Yes, I did adjust the original post. It’s totally fine to stick with AP flour, I just received a lot of feedback where people felt keeping some rye would help. Honestly, either way works just fine and by that point your starter will most likely take hold.
Happy baking from here on out!
Maurizio, another question. I’m always unclear about this. If I plan on baking this weekend and my starter is in good shape now…how can I minimize feedings until it’s time to make the levain? If I refrigerate, when do I take the starter out of the fridge, and does it need to be fed before it’s added to the levain?
Daniel, check out my weekend baking schedule guide, I have a sample schedule for baking just on the weekend. You’ll see I recommend a few days of room temp feedings before using it to make your levain.
Hi Maurizio
I really like the way you explain..I’m learning a lot. I’m on day three and the starter keeps raising everyday…so I’m doubtful about what kind of yeast/bacteria I am growing here..what would be “the signs of beneficial yeast and bacteria” you mention above as opposed to the “unwanted bacteria”….this will really help me out on knowing if I’m going down the right track…Another question .. I’m seeing at the bottom of the jar that the mix is turning into a darker colour than in the rest of the jar….I’ve brewed beer one or two times and I remember the dead yeast sinking to the bottom of the fermenter..could it be the same in this case? in that case is it a good idea to stir down the mix before refreshing it? thanks again
Glad to hear that, Leandro! Yes, I always recommend stirring the mixture in total after you discard and add new flour and water. Give it a really good stir so any new flour and water is mixed well with the amount of starter left in the jar.
Typically if you see consistent rise and fall for a prolonged period, smell and see the signs of good fermentation (slightly sour, like yogurt, no odd colors like pink/green/white from mold, etc.), your starter should be on the right track.
Hi Maurizio, thanks for the amazing website and the guides. I started making my started as suggested in the guide. The starter was showing constant activity until day three or so. Then there was no activity for a few days. I continued feeding twice a day with 50g rye flour, 50g all purpose flour and 125 g water. Things started picking up slowly and finally it started to rise to almost double its height. Then, I switched to 100 g all purpose flour, 100 g water only. When I did this, it stopped rising as much as before. Instead, I can only see a small rise and a few bubbles. Should I go back to rye flour or keep doing the all purpose flour?
Another question I have is to cycle between jars or use the same jar for the starter? I ask because in some places you mention it’s better to use two jars but in the FAQs it’s suggested to use just the one jar.
Thanks again.
I just posted, but I have experienced the exact same thing. Once the switch over to all purpose flour the rise stopped. Had some bubbles increase a bit but almost no rise. It’s only been a day so we’ll see what tomorrow brings. Quick reddit post resulted in a few responses pointing out a quick switch in flours can ‘shock’ the yeast, but I suspect Maurizio knows what he’s doing 🙂
Good to know that others are observing similar behavior. I have since gone back to adding about 10-20 g of Rye flour each feeding to boost the activity. I have come to realize that temperature is the most important ingredient here. It is typically 75-76 F ambient near by starter, so that’s probably slowing it down a little. For a few days it was 72-73 F and it was much slower. I am trying to bake a loaf of bread today with the starter. I guess it will really show whether my starter and I are ready to embark on the next step 🙂
In my opinion, the Brod and Taylor bread proofer will be totally worth it.
Yes! Temperature is extremely important here. If you want to go back to including rye flour that’s totally fine. I used to believe, as @dudemansir:disqus suggested, that changing flour would “shock” a starter, but I don’t really believe this is the case anymore. I’ve used the above method to make many starters over the years and it works really well. In some cases where people have issues after switching to white flour I recommend just stick to using some rye until your starter really takes off and is predictable. Once you get a consistent rise and fall you can switch to whatever flour you’d like without issue.
The B&T Proofer is one of those rare tools where I say buy it, you won’t regret it — happy baking!
Thanks for the response! I think my starter has become quite predictable now. Although it doesn’t rise as much, I can consistently see bubbles on the top and sides. Moreover, the smell is sour/vinegarish, which is again a good sign. The starter can only get stronger from here after I get the B & T proofer.
Great! You’re definitely on the right path now.
Patience dear sir! 2 days since I posted, things are happening big time! I stuck it out with the all purpose flour and it’s bubble city over here. Here are some pics. Stick with it! Too lazy for every 12 hours. Lazily feeding at 24 hours apart. 50g Starter, 100g all purpose flour
https://imgur.com/gallery/rhHCjZE
Wow that looks great. Things have picked up for me as well, though not as much. I will keep feeding it until it picks up again. Thanks for posting!
No problem. Thats how we learn. Hmmm. Temp. I gotta be honest. I haven’t given temp much of a thought. Our thermostats here in the Brooklyn apt aren’t even temps but I’d say it’s usually around 70-74? I keep jar either on counter or in cupboard. The cupboard is in the vicinity of the oven/stove and I do a fair amount of cooking daily for the wife and kids, so there may be a slight increase in ambient temp throughout the day into the evening? However, if Maurizio suggests at the end (which I followed) the twice a day feeding, if you’re (and my) temps are a bit lower, theoretically that slower movement should maybe sorta even out the timing? Again. I’m NOT thinking about time anymore. It’s a bit more commitment than I have the energy for.
Cool. As an aside, I baked by first loaf with the starter today and it turned out quite good. Could have been better if the starter was a bit stronger, but it was good enough for the first try :). Good luck on your future bakes 🙂
Another question, what is the temperature around your starter usually? Is it closer to 80 degrees or lower?
There we go! Nice and strong 🙂
Okay so I started my Pet today…I messed up however, I forgot that I was using rye and that it needed more water…so I ended up with 150g Rye and 200g water to fix it I just added 50g water. I am not sure what the heat is here I have no control over the temperature. Landlord keeps house at 70 degrees; however my room is much warmer…any idea how this warmer clime will effect my starter? And do I have to adjust how much to feed from now on since I goofed in my measurements? I would prefer to use Rye, whole wheat or another whole grain for breads I don’t intend to use white flour at all…how will this effect the process and amount of water to add each day? Also can you add bits of whole grains, nuts, fruit/berries when making the actual bread (not starter) or can you only use flours? Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my questions. Have a wonderful day!!~!
No worries about the measurement error, just correct it at the next feeding. Temperature is incredibly important, however. Try to keep your mixture warm (you can feed with warm water if necessary): 76-80°F would be idea.
You don’t have to use white flour if you don’t want. Once your starter is rising and falling predictably, switch to whatever flour you’d like in the lon grun.
Yes, you can absolutely add nuts/fruit/seeds to your bread dough when mixing. Check out my Recipes page at the top, lots of ideas there!
Why do you have to throw out part of your starter every time you feed it?
You can use it to cook with, but if you don’t throw some out the yeast will eat through the next feeding way too quickly and your starter will require a larger container every day.
Mikayla, check out my Sourdough Starter FAQ for an in depth answer to this question!
Hi. Thanks for the amazing guide.
I started my sourdough on 16 Dec and it has not rise yet so I’m still sticking with the feeding plan for day 4.
After every 12 hours, there will be a lot of bubbles and liquid on top but no rising activity. I live in a country where the weather is hot and humid and without the rising sign, I can’t tell if I have underfed or overfed my starter.
Any idea for what I should do? Adjust my feeding ratio or wait for a little longer?
I have failed once before by trying to feed only every 24hrs and it started to grow mouldly.
That’s ok if you’re not seeing lots of rise, as long as you’re seeing signs of fermentation (bubbles, sour smell) in a consistent manner your starter should be on the right track. And yes, if your climate is very humid you can experience mold issues — try giving your starter a stir halfway between feedings when it’s still getting established, this will help reduce the time the top layer is in contact with oxygen and reduce the occurence of mold. Hope this helps!
Hi, again Maurizio! I am on day 11 of my starter and she is FINALLY doubling in size- both of the last two feedings. The only thing is that, with fresh milled wheat only, the cycle is more like 9-10 hours instead of 12. I should technically be feeding her about now, which is 4pm, but if I do that, 10 hours from now is 2am. I am excited about good bread, but let’s be honest, I’m not waking up at 2am to feed my starter. 🙂 I feel not confident enough yet to make a decision about the best option here, since she’s new and just now gaining strength, I don’t want to blow it. But it does seem pretty silly to wake in the night to feed a sourdough starter. Right? Do you think I should toss in a bit of AP along with my usual WW? Or should I keep it a bit cooler in order to slow it down?
Hey, Renee! I wouldn’t wake to feed 🙂 You can do what you suggested, use cooler water, to slow things down. However, what I like to do is adjust the amount of sourdough starter I keep in my jar when discarding. The less you keep, the longer the time span between feedings (it slows the process down).
So, in the morning, discard down so there’s a little less than what you currently are keeping (e.g. if you’re keeping 25g in the jar, try 15g), and see if your starter can now last a full 12 hours before needing the next feeding. Adjust as necessary so the starter keeps your same schedule.
For today, I’d probably give it a feeding but keep a lot less so it’ll last until tomorrow in the morning.
Hope that helps and happy baking!
Maurizio, Thanks so much for the response and for your advice the last week or so. She is doing BEAUTIFULLY! I just made my first bread with my starter this morning- not anything difficult, just a quick sweet bread (no levain, just with discard) and it is delicious and I feel so accomplished! I appreciate this post so much. Your thorough guide as well as the replies to my questions here are what made this project a success for me! Now, onto real bread next!!! 🙂
Right on, Renee, so glad to hear that!
Hey there! Me again. So, it’s been two weeks and my starter is rising and falling predictably, but still is rising QUICKLY- within about 6 hours, and falls quickly after that, almost completely by about 8 hours. Right now I’m keeping 60g, and feeding 100g fresh-milled soft white wheat and 100g water. I try to push the feeding times as much as I can because it’s just not convenient to feed her so often. I’ve tried to reduce the amount I retain, keeping only about 40g, but then she doesn’t rise as much. As well, she is only rising JUUUUUST to doubling. Never more than that. Right now, I have the levain going for your beginners sourdough bread and it’s only risen to about 50% above the starting line in four hours. As well, I tried your pizza dough yesterday and after 14 hours in the fridge, it basically hasn’t risen at all. I am getting frustrated because despite predictable rising and falling and consistent activity, she just isn’t strong enough to really DO anything, it seems. I have been *like clockwork* with my feedings. Any thoughts on what I’m doing wrong?
I wouldn’t worry to much about exactly how much your starter is rising, just the fact that you’re seeing consistent signs is plenty. In other words, you’re seeing the signs for fermentation — bubbles, some rise, sour smell, an eventual loosening and breakdown in the mixture — your starter should be strong enough to bake with.
Additionally, it’s ok that your dough doesn’t rise significantly when in the fridge — it’s cold in there! If your dough is still sluggish after being in the fridge, give it some time to warm up and ferment further on the counter before you bake with it. Alternatively, you could leave the dough out for some time before you place it in the fridge for its rest overnight.