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!
Print
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.
2,657 Comments
Hi, I’m sorry i’m kinda confused – so at which point (how many days) is the starter actually ready for baking?
Hi Tania. I would like to know that also. Lol
See my reply to Tania above!
Usually it takes about 7 days or so, sometimes faster sometimes slower, depending on the conditions in your kitchen. The key sign: when your starter is rising and falling consistently each day. This means, if you refresh it in the morning at 8am and it has risen to a peak, and perhaps started to fall, after about the same time each day. That consistency is what you want to see for a few days.
Hi I just started your sourdough starter plan. I’m on the end of day 1 and using whole-wheat as we have no rye. I think this recipe has more water/hydration than most recipes so I’ve found there’s a little water sitting on top of it this afternoon. I don’t think it’s hooch because it’s not a dark brown colour. I’m wondering whether it’s just excess water and whether to pour it of or not in the am. It’s also sitting in the oven with light on because our last starter has not been showing any signs of growth after trying for 3 weeks and we think it might be temp although I’m based in Aus where it’s still relatively warm. So I’ve started a new one to slightly change some variables and compare.
That’s correct, Jaimi. Just pour the water off, or do as I do and mix it back in. Be sure it’s not getting excessively hot in your oven with the light on! Sometimes that heat can get intense in there. If you have a thermometer stick it in there with your jar and keep an eye on this.
Thanks Maurizio. I woke up to it looking good this morning. It didn’t double but consistency was nice and bouyant and it had grown a few cms. I stirred it and followed steps for day 2 and a few hrs later it’s grown a few more cms. Hoping it stays healthy the next few days. I think good warmth and using warm water has helped!
Hello Maurizio! Thank you for this amazing website. I love your content, it is really helpful.
I wanted to let you know about some parts in this article that I could not quite catch:
1- In the first day of making sourdough starter, it feels like there are two jars judging by the following sentence, but I guess there are not: “To that jar add 100 grams whole grain rye flour and 150 grams water into one of the clean jars and mix”
2- On day four, a second jar enters in the scene I guess, but it is not clear when: “After this 12-hour rest, but discard down the contents to 75 grams and refresh again with the same ratio of ingredients. Let the new mixture rest overnight. Discard the rest of the mixture in the first jar.”
You may consider editing the article if there is some kind of real confusion, not just by me 🙂
Thank you for the best recipes ever!
It *does* look like it needs an edit, but my understanding of it is that there’s a new jar each day. You’re taking a portion of the mixture each day and putting it in a new jar and then adding flour and water to that. Discard what’s left and clean the previous jar. Repeating this each day.
That’s my take on it.
You’re correct, Bill.
Thanks for the feedback, Sophie. I’ll update and make this more clear!
I am on Day 5 and from what I am reading, it appears that on Day 5 & 6 you are not supposed to discard a portion any longer or use a new container as you do in Days 1-4. So, Days 1-4 I followed to a T (discard some then add flours and water, etc.). Day 5 I am just adding the flours and water (but not discarding any longer) correct? Is that correct or am I missing something? Thank you! Also, I am using Spelt flour (no rye anywhere) and Whole Wheat Organic King Aurthur flours.
Kari — always discard every time you do a refreshment. I’ll update the post to make this more clear!
Thank you so much! 1 of the feedings I did not discard. Now, today I am so hopefully it will still work out okay. Thanks again!
Hi,
I’m on day six and am not seeing much with my starter. I’m using 50g whole wheat and 50g organic AP flour. I used bottled water. I get a lot of hooch every feeding, up to a few centimeters. I haven’t seen any rise, but there are a few bubbles. It is colder in my kitchen, between 70-75 degrees. Unfortunately, I live further north and there isn’t a warmer location. Is there anything I can do?
Put in in the oven with just the light on.
Keep with it, I know it’s frustrating. Warm the water you’re using to do your refreshments to 80F to help keep it warm. You can also wrap the jar in a thick cloth to help it retain heat or place the jar inside another larger, thicker container for insulation.
These wreck jars are selling for twice the price these days! I need to find an alternative, what is a recommended range for size/capacity of the jar?
Yea, short supply it seems! Check out Anchor Hocking, these might be a good alternative to Weck jars. I like .5 to 1.5 liter.
Use Ball wide-mouth pints. Same tapered bottom, slightly smaller size, so cut recipe by 1/3.
I’ve been using the Ziploc 1Qt “twist and lock” containers for my starter. They work really well, are super inexpensive, clean up easily, and can get them at most any store. https://ziploc.com/en/Products/Containers/Round/Containers-Twist-Loc-Medium
Great idea!
What if the smell isn’t good? This is my 4th sourdough starter recently. I’ve tossed the others because they smell so bad. I’ve had a good starter before and it smelled pleasant. Any suggestions?
It’s normal to smell bad in the beginning. Once it’s rising and falling predictably that smell should change to something like aged cheese or yogurt. It might also be the flour you’re using, if it’s very fresh (not a bad thing, just different).
Hello, thank you so much for the amazing stater recipe and so far everything was going right until the 4th day where I had no activity. Today, is the fifth day and I fed the starter and hope I will have some activity tomorrow – did I mess up on day three?
That’s normal. Keep with the process! If you don’t see activity return after a few days, go back to 1x feeding a day with some rye if you have it.
Hi Mauricio, thank you so much for the quick reply. There has been no activity for the past two days. Shall I just add flour to the existing batch or follow the previous ratio with only rye flour?
Sorry for the typo
Keep with a mix of AP and rye and keep it warm. Give it a few more days!
Hello, I am excited to get started with this process. I can not find rye flour in my local stores. I have ordered it on line, but it won’t be here for a bit. Meanwhile, I have started my purchased sour dough starter an am using All Purpose flour. I have bread flour and whole wheat flour. Which flour or combination of flour would you suggest I use until the rye flour arrives. Thank you! Anne
Sub out the rye for whole wheat — that will work well!
Hi- how do I make bread that isn’t sour, from sourdough starter? Thank you
I’m relatively new to sourdough but have learned a lot in the last few weeks that I’ve been making it. I’ve been very happy with the beginner’s sourdough recipe! However, I appear to have become the sourdough starter coach to a few friends. One friend has tried making a starter three times now. Every time, it looks great around day three, but then not only looks inactive after that, but starts to form a hooch. My theory is that the yeast in her home are super hungry, and that maybe she needs to follow a more frequent feeding schedule, and perhaps start refrigerating it earlier. Any other tips for a starter that keeps forming hooch so early in the process?
I would stir the starter midway through feedings, this should help keep things cohesive.
Hello Maurizio from France and thank you for your wondeful website. I started my sourdough 7 days ago. It bubbles and rises well. I have a question : it triples in around 2 hours and then starts to fall to the double of the initial size (after I fed it) until the next refreshment. Is this normal ? Shouldn’t it be slower ? It is in a room around 25°C. Thanks for your help ! Anne
If it’s maturing too fast, leave less starter in the jar to lengthen the refreshment interval.
That’s totally fine, Anne. If it’s rising and falling too fast for you, keep less starter in the jar each time you do a feeding to slow it down.
Hi Maurizio! Thanks for all the info. I am glad to have found your site, as it seems simpler than others. I started my starter from an online lesson and completed the 14 days, and “I think” I have a fully matured starter, and has been in the refrigerator now for 2 days. Am I correct to surmise it is mature with a 4 hour rise and soon after it started gradually reducing/collapsing? If it is fair to say its mature, do I have to continue feeding everyday, and discard 2/3 of the starter? If not necessarily, how many times a week do you recommend? I started with the Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour, its expensive where I am from and not always available, so I had to switch to the All Purpose, unbleached with the same brand, and added multigrain (20%), hence, I feel bad discarding and been trying to use it for other recipes- your pancake, crackers I found online and pizza dough. Your advice on the 3 questions would be much appreciated. Thank you!
If you see consistent rise each day you’re good to start baking with your starter. Check out my guide to maintaining a sourdough starter for answers to your other questions!
Many thanks appreciate the quick reply!! Stay safe and well!
Hello, thanks for the instructions and being so attentive with people’s questions. I have been trying to get a starter going for 11 days now using a different recipe I found on youtube before finding yours. I’ve just been using AP flour so far, although I’ve just sourced some rye. It has never had that big initial expansion and now just consistently gets a little bubbly and rises a very small bit, if at all. It smells a little fruity, not unpleasant. I’m in UK and room temp is about 60-70f. Should I restart with your process? Or switch to yours (and if so, at which step)? Thanks again!
I would not start over. I’d go to one feeding a day with 25% rye flour and 75% ap flour. Keep it warm if you can, try to warm the mixing water to 80°F so the mixture is warm for a while. That should help!
Thank you!
Hello & thank you for providing these instructions! I just need clarity re: Day 5 and 6 process…says “continue to refresh”; but do I still discard?
THANKS MUCH!!
Kathy
Torrance, CA
I have the same question! On day 3 but hoping to get an answer before I get to day 5/6!
Yes, continue to discard at each refresh.
Yes, you still discard every time you refresh!
Hi Again!
After 3 weeks of trial, error, a broken Ball jar and patiently waiting for rise predictability, I was looking so forward to attempting to start the leavening step tomorrow.
I keep my 50/50 AP (bleached) & whole wheat (there’s NO rye anywhere in Southern California) starter in the oven with the light on bc my house temp fluctuates too much. Apparently my puppy ripped of the “DO NOT TURN OVEN ON” poster and my daughter began to preheat the oven for cookies.
My starter (fondly referred to as “my new baby”) was exposed to preheating temperatures for under 10 minutes and the oven had not yet reached 350. That said, there was a semi-crust-like substance on top and similar on the bottom of the jar. In between it was pretty liquidy. (really? Not a word??)
Do you think it’s salvageable?
After last nights feeding I forgot to discard my discard, so it was in a bowl on the counter. It had formed a thick top layer (but nowhere near the thickness of my baked baby). Below the layer the consistency was pretty typical.
Do you think I should use this as my base and start feeding it? Or would it be best just to start from scratch?
THANKS!!
Hi, This guide is incredibly helpful. Can I use bread flour in place of AP flour for feedings?
Thanks!
Lily
That’ll work!
If I want to give my friends sourdough starter, when is the correct time to give it to them. After the first day?
Thank you!!!
Once it’s rising and falling predictably each day it’s strong enough to bake with and share. Give them some of the discard one of the days when you refresh.
Hi Maurizio, New Zealander in France here, thanks for your awesome site. I think because of the cold weather here, my starter has been slower to start. I’m on day 12 with a mix of 70/30 T80/rye, doing 100g water, 70g t80, 30g rye, 50g leaven, once a day feeding. (I was doing twice but fell back to once as no progress). It has a beautiful honey comb gluteny texture and is almost rising double each day but no falling away. I’m keeping it in the oven with the light on. It floats. Any tips for me please?
Your approach is a good one, the flour and feeding frequency should help get it going. Sometimes, depending on the flour, you won’t see much rise at all — this is ok. If you’re seeing strong signs of fermentation (lots of bubbles, rise, smells sour, etc.) each day consistently, it’s likely strong enough to bake with. The mixture should feel loose and slack when you go to stir and feed, it will have changed from a stiffer dough when you fed it, that’s a good sign as well.
Thanks so much for your reply, much appreciated:)
Hi Maurizio, Thanks again for this great website with which now I have baked twice (beginner sourdough) and has come out great with the whole family enjoying it! Unfortunately since my day 12 of the starter inception (currently at day 15), the starter has been smelling off. I had been tinkering with the type of flour and the amount of starter/flour ratio (initially rye/whole wheat and now whole wheat/AP). Currently I am using 10g starter (20% of the flour – 50% unbleached AP, 50% Whole wheat with 100% hydration). I just used to get a pleasant smell at the time of peak but now it’s sort of foul smelling vinegar even before it hits the peak (i.e. before the initial fall). To top it off a part of the starter that i forgot to discard and left it on my countertop open grew a mold in 24 hours of the prior feed (none on the starter that i left closed in the oven after a feed). Should i start from scratch ? Thanks again.
I’m not sure why you developed mold so quickly. If it was a properly mature starter there it should stave off any mold growth. I’m not sure what to suggest!
Suddenly, no bread on the shelves. Hubby: I never liked the wheat bread or sourdough we were buying. Me: I was buying the best available at the grocery store. So, no sourdough starter packets at the store. Looked and found you! I followed your plan and have had a beautiful starter for weeks! I’m still struggling to bake the perfect loaf but our bread is tasty and nutritious. I’m really happy. Thank you, Maurizio!
So glad to hear this, Dorothy! Happy I could help. Happy baking 🙂
Hey Maurizio
Love the site and the helpful step-by-step instructions on getting a starter started. After day 1 the 1qt jar was about to erupt, same on day 2 (following instructions to the T). The morning of day 3 there was no rising and a bit of hooch on top. I stirred it back in and then took 75gm into a clean jar with 50gm WW, 50gm AP, and 125gm tepid water. Since then there has been no rising, but the smell is not as sour as it was in days 1-3. I am now on day 6 and just finished feeding the same ratios; 75:50:50:125. I’d like to keep going but I’m wondering if I should start over.
Thanks a ton, and be safe out there!
Thanks Jeff! Don’t start over. Keep going with what you have, that initial activity is normal and will subside, eventually activity will come back with the bacteria/yeast we want in the end. Keep at it.
Thanks Maurizio, I’ll try to 50% rye, 50% white.
Thanks for the quick reply, it is always appreciated. I’ll keep going with this routine but I have to mention that the familiar smell isn’t there anymore. It just smells like wet dough. No more sourness.
Still keep going as usual or change it up?
Thanks again.
It seems like my starter has ceased pretty much all activity ever since I started feeding it twice a day with the different ratio’s. Is this normal? Should I keep going with the schedule as is, or do you recommend something else/starting over?
Anne — drop back to 1x a day feedings until you see consistent rise and fall each day, then you can go to 2x if you’d like. Don’t start over, keep going with what you have, it’ll come back.
Thanks, it took a (nerve-wracking) week, but my lil guy is now easily doubling in volume! It reaches it’s highest point after about six hours or so, I believe.
I notice the starter smells really nice (slightly soury but bready too!) now, compared to when it wasn’t doing well (almost a vomit like sour, yech!). So maybe I just still had some bad bacteria in there that needed to go.
Thanks again!
Hi there, I tried last year to get my starter going but just couldn’t get it off the ground… so now I’m starting over and I will persist. I’m just wondering why you use 2 jars for the first few days and then only 1? I want to know out of curiosity more than anything else. Thanks… and wish me luck 🙂
No reason other than it’s easy to keep it clean in the beginning when you’ll likely see explosive rise. You can keep the same jar the whole way if you’d like, or change each day, either way!
Hi Maurizio,
I am on day 8 of the starter making and it is struggling – it does not seem to be rising and falling. There are very small bubbles on the surface and inside and there is a sweetish sour aldehyde smell after 12 hours. After ther 12 hours It does not pass the float test and sinks directly to the bottom of water. I was originally using a 50/50 mix of flour/wholewheat flour which I canned to 75/25 flour/wholewheat. I cannot get rye here (in India). Could you advise how I should proceed.
Many thanks
Sunil
additionally, the ambient in India is about 90F. will this make a difference to the outcome and should I find a cooler location for the starter
Thanks
Yeah I’m in the same boat, only I live in the US. The same little bubbles are happening to me and I’m on day 10.
Nolan, see my reply above, this might help.
Sunil — I’d try to find a cooler spot, around 80F if you can. It doesn’t sound like there’s sufficient fermentation happening in there for it to float. I’d switch back to 1x a day feedings and try to keep it a bit cooler (you can cool the mixing water if that helps). It sounds like it needs more time!
Thanks so much for the input and I will do so!
One general question – can barley be a good substitute for Rye in the starter sequence, as this is readily available here.
Thanks again and stay safe!
HI Maurizio,
I wonder if you got a change to look at my question regarding using barley instead of rye for the starter?
many thanks in advance
Sunil
Hi Maurizio, I’m having serious problems over here. The first time I tried this started I threw it away on day four. It seemed separated and watery every day since day one. So then starting over, its day four again and no rising is happening, but still really watery. It’s fine when I mix it up every morning, but by the next morning it is all watery again and almost no activity/bubbles.etc. I’ve been keeping it in the oven with the light on to keep it warm enough. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Thanks for the help!
I’m having the same exact issue. Hopefully Maurizio can help.
See my reply above, Alex!
Thanks so much ! However, due to the layer of liquid I’m not seeing any bubbles – does this mean my starter will take longer to mature ?
Having the same issue. For Day 2 I added 10 more grams of flour and 5 grams less of water per the recipe but it’s separating again with a layer of what I think is referred to as “hooch” at the top.
See my reply above, Joe!
Don’t throw your starter away! Try giving it a stir midway through your feedings to help keep it all in one mass. It’s ok if you see that layer of clear liquid, it won’t harm anything. Also, be sure you’re not keeping it too warm in that oven, I don’t usually like to go over 85F (although it should be fine to do so).
Thank you for the reply. What do I do since it is still not rising at all? Being stuck at home I am checking on it to be sure. Nothing…