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, if I currently have a ripe starter but not yet ready to bake with it – can I refrigerate it and if so, how frequently should I feed it (and with what measurements) until I”m ready to bake? Thanks.
I have exactly what you need over at my weekend baking schedule post 🙂
Aloha Maurizio, its jill from the big island of hawaii. So, i am on the evening of the 7th day of making my starter and though it has a nice smell and bubbles every day, it only rises, probably double in size or more each time, but does not fall. Is this because it never gets cool enough or does it need more time To strengthen up before i use it to bake? Mahalo nui!
That’s totally find if you don’t see it falling. If you’re seeing the same, consistent signs of fermentation each day, especially after 7 days, you’re good to go!
Hi again! I’ve been baking loaves of bread acc. to your directions and am on my 20th delicious loaf!! My starter is made of AP and WW flour, and has been behaving well until recently. It has had a sour smell and taste until last week. Now, it has a rather funky smell, not pleasant really, and but the taste is still somewhat sour. Do you think it’s going bad or is it okay?
It’s likely just fine! It might be due to a flour change or perhaps it’s getting warmer in your kitchen?
Hi Maurizio,
Thanks for the super clear instructions! I’m on day 4 now and things are looking great, my starter is very enthusiastic. I was wondering why you recommend to switch to a clean jar in the beginning, and after a while keep using the same one? Does it have to do with the bacteria? Just curious!
Glad to hear that, Iris! No real particular reason except for practical reasons later down the line. I probably clean out my jar every two weeks or so, it’s not really necessary as long as you don’t let it get too dirty and crusted up with dry flour 🙂
After day seven, do I continue to feed it daily? Or every other day? Store it in fridge?
I like to feed mine daily, but it’s up to you and how often you’ll bake. Check out my starter maintenance routine for more information on this!
Thanks for this terrific site. I’m a bit stymied by my starter’s behavior, and I’m hoping you can offer some advice. I’m on Day 7, following the instructions exactly. The starter is rising and falling regularly, but it isn’t rising all that high (barely doubling in volume, maybe even a little less). However, it’s doing that in much less than 12 hours: after 12 hours it has completely fallen, and I thought from your “starter maintenance routine” post that I should be feeding it when it has just started to decline from its peak. Can you suggest any next steps? Thanks so much!
Hey, Sandy! That’s ok, the actual amount of rise isn’t so important as seeing the same overall signs of fermentation consistently each day. Yes, if you’re finding your starter smells very strong (sour), is very weak and soupy, try giving it a refreshment earlier to keep it on track.
Hello! I only had all purpose flour and I am on day 2 of my starter and it’s liquid-y. I woke up and there was a layer of liquid and then the starter underneath. Should I start again?
Same thing happened to mine. I’m a beginner at this. But from what I’ve read that’s called “hooch” and is normal. Just stir it back in when you next feed and discard as far as I know. But don’t take my word for it lol I’m very new to this.
That’s totally fine, as @thekentfamily:disqus said below, just stir it back in and continue as usual.
I’m on day 6 and although my starter is rising and falling properly, it has never really smelled bad. is that fine? it kinda smells like it did on day 1. Thank you so much.
It smells exactly like it did in the beginning actually
That’s totally fine! Each will be different.
Ok, I think I’m having trouble I began my starter 7 days ago and had one day with good rise and fall, and then it tapered off and has never returned. It has bubbles on the top and smells like good sourdough starter but I’m not getting any rises and falls anymore. I’ve just kept on feeding and discarding, and I’ve thought maybe it’s because it’s too cool in my kitchen so I’ve been keeping it in my (not on or hot) oven with the oven light on. But I’m still not getting any rise. Any advice? I’m using King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour, and have a reverse osmosis water filter that I use for the water.
Try dropping back to 1x feeding a day for a few days and use a bit of whole rye flour if you had it. That might help get it going!
I didn’t have rye flour and it was sold out at all grocery stores around me (chicagoans must be making sourdough lol) but I did some more research and figured out that my ratios were off and my starter was too diluted so I fixed the ratio and not it’s up and going perfectly and I even baked some really nice loaves of sourdough with it last week! Thanks for your help!
So glad to hear this! Happy baking 🙂
Thank you for the instruction.
I used rye, spelt and wholewheat. Worked perfect.
this far I tried the bananabread and pancakes – both turned out great. 🙂
Awesome to hear that, Viktorija! Have fun and happy baking 🙂
Hi Maurizio. I’m busy making your starter, on day 5 now. The only available flour I have is all purpose flour, very difficult to get rye flour here (Zambia). Everything smells good, and I can see bubbles, but the texture is really weird!! It’s like one big glob of glue! All stretchy and if you pour from one jar into another it would come out in one big blob! I’ve made and maintained a starter in the past, and it’s never had this texture! Any advice??? Thanks, Nadya
Strange! But maybe it’s just that it needs additional water to thin out some?
Thanks for that!
Hi Maurizio, thanks for your clear instruction and great recipes. I just started a new starter two days ago, using your method above, and I can only describe the smell on day two and three as being similar to vomit. Is this normal? I know you’ve mentioned it’s normal for an unpleasant smell but this is more than unpleasant. I’m using 50/50 whole wheat/AP, and loosely covering the bowl with plastic. Had lots of action on day one and some water separation from day two to three. Thanks!
It’s pretty typical to get a really off smell there in the beginning, it should go away after a few days. If you still have it there after a week, then perhaps I’d start over at that point!
Thanks a lot for confirming this. I’m now on day 3, but I’m also getting a strong smell somewhere between vomit and cow manure… I’m very familiar with the sour / alcohol smell of lactobacilli ferments, but this isn’t it. I’m using locally milled whole wheat flour (and regular white flour when the instructions call for it) and everything seemed to be going well on day 2, lots of nice expansion activity and I even made a few pancakes with the the discarded mixture. Then it really started taking off in the afternoon and started spilling over the jar and smelling bad. Now on the morning of the 3rd day the whole kitchen stinks, and the mixture has collapsed to about 50% of its volume yesterday. The surface is now completely full of small holes left by burst bubbles, like on the top side of a half-cooked pancake when it’s ready to flip. I think part of the reason why the activity is so dramatic is because I live in a very humid environment with highly fluctuating temperatures, easily over 90 degrees in the kitchen most afternoons, but cooler nights around 60. Think this first attempt will fix itself as the lactobacilli take over and start dominating?
Thanks a lot for asking this question, my first reaction toward the end of day 2 and the morning of day 3 was also that it smells like vomit. (See my reply two posts down in this thread.) Did yours ever turn out in the end?
I just made my first levain for the weekday sourdough which should be ready to mix in 10 hours. I am in Italy and do not have access to the flour you suggest…King Arthur. I do however have some high protein flours. How can I substitute these for the right combination. I have bread flour, Rye, high protein white (17 and 14%) and whole wheat. Please advise
No need for a super high protein white flour, if you have a flour that’s suitable for bread (“bread flour”) that’ll work just fine. Sounds like you’re set for the rye and whole wheat!
Thank you so much for this amazing blog! I have had my starter for about three months now, and took it with me when I spent a month in the mountains in CO. After a week of daily feedings, it is still sluggish. Do you have any tips?
If you have some rye, add a bit in with each mix to try and spur your starter back into shape. Give it timely feedings each day and keep it warm, around 78-80F, if you can!
Hi!
You’re the first starter guide that has actually worked for me! So thank you. Im using some today finally. That being said I want to do the starter weekend schedule and put it in the fridge today. Im going to refresh it shortly, my jar is looking a bit gross as I’ve been using the same same jar as instructed. However i wanted to refresh today and put in a clean jar for the fridge, does that work? Might be the dumbest question ever, but I’m not sure if there is reason other than ease for using the same jar this last few days and i thought one day when i used a clean jar it wasn’t as lively. Im assuming a clean jar is fine but checking in case after all this hard work!
There is no reason to keep using the same jar, you could even change very refreshment if you’d like — I just like to reuse the same jar because I’m lazy and cleaning it every time would get tiresome! So, putting your starter in a new jar is not a problem at all. Happy baking!
Hi, my starter has been going for a week now And I’ve been following your schedule regularly. I’ve been doing half all purpose and half whole wheat since I don’t have rye in hand at the moment. However, it hasn’t been rising at all. There are some bubbles but no rise. Could you please suggest what I can do! Should I start over? Thank you 😉
I wouldn’t start over. It’s ok you’re not using rye flour, but it’s important to try and keep it warm, 78-80F (25-26C) would be ideal. Once it’s rising and falling predictably each day, you can drop the temp to whatever your kitchen is at if you’d like, but it helps in the beginning to keep it warm. If you’re feeing 2x a day, you might want to try and drop back to 1x for a few days, to a week, and see if that helps. Sometimes feeding too soon can slow the process down. Hope this helps!
There is a much easier way to get rid of chlorine in water. Two or three medium spoons of caramel syrup per liter, and a little heat will do the job. The caramel in the water will even help the starter grow.
I’ve never heard this!
Chlorine is an oxidizer. Caramel syrup is a reductor. two spoons of caramel syrup will likely react with all the chlorine content of a liter of water, neutralizing it.
Do you need to discard half of the starter? Can you not use it for another batch? Can you freeze it and use it later as a starter?
See my starter FAQ for why discarding is necessary. I wouldn’t recommend freezing it unless you’re going to use it for something other than bread, such as waffles, banana bread, or pancakes as you’ll likely weaken its leavening power.