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
Are you supposed to put the lid back on each time? It doesn’t say. Thanks!
I do, yes. It helps prevent unwanted stuff from falling in and also helps keep the mixture a little more moist inside so a dry “crust” doesn’t form on the top. Hope that helps!
Attempt 2 at a starter. I’m using a blend of unbleached all purpose and whole wheat flour. What is your opinion on that mix? Definitely active already and just smelled it now… slightly vinegary. Tomorrow will be day 3.
That mix will work just fine! Rye flour helps get things going but it’s not 100% necessary. Sounds like you’re off to a great start!
This is such a great article and recipe. Thanks for all the info. I was wondering if you have done a starter with fresh milled grain. I have just begun milling my own and am wanting to make a starter. Would I need to sift the flour before I use it? Any info on this would be great. Thanks
Thank you, Tamara! I have actually maintained my starter with fresh milled and it worked just fine. You do not need to sift the flour. I would suggest you keep an eye on the starter a little closer than usual, though, as fresh milled flour tends to have higher fermentation activity (which can be a great thing).
Good luck and happy baking!
Thanks for all the practical explanation but I’m having a problem is day 6 an my starter looks like day 3 so I don’t know if I have to do the 2snd feeding of the day. Could you please help me with this. Thanks for your time. Ericka
You’re welcome! Stick with once a day feedings until you notice your starter really pick up activity (as shown in my pictures). Try to keep it warm (75-80F) if you can!
Hello again, and thank you for being so attentive to our questions. I appreciate it very much.
My starter (“born” on Wednesday, 5/3) was going gangbusters (as my Dad used to say) until I started feeding it twice a day. The FAQ says that a slowdown around day 4 is normal, but now it seems like there isn’t enough time between feedings for it to really bubble up. I’ve got it in my oven with the light bulb on and it seems to be picking up some steam. I was planning to build a levain tonight, make the loaves tomorrow and bake on Friday. Is this going to work? If I leave the levain in the oven overnight, will that make it strong enough to perform, or should I just sadly put it off? This is really going to be my last opportunity until the beginning of June.
You’re very welcome! I’d say go for it, try to make a levain and do the “float test” to make sure it’s ready for baking. If a little bit of your levain never really floats in a glass of room temp water then I wouldn’t proceed with the bake, this will tell you your starter isn’t strong enough and needs more time to mature.
Additionally, if it looks like your starter needs more time to ferment before feeding by all means drop down to one feeding per day. At this point you’ll probably need to start tailoring the feeding schedule to your particular starter and your environment. Warmer temperatures will definitely help speed things up!
Hope this helps, good luck with the bake!
I followed your instructions and have made more progress than I ever have in all my previous attempts! However, I’m having difficulty getting my starter to do more than double…even when I leave it longer, it doesn’t increase in volume, just start to smell like it needs to be fed…any suggestions? Thanks!
That’s great to hear! It’s ok if your starter doesn’t double, you just want to see the signs, and smells, of strong fermentation and feed based on that. If it rises to a peak height and then falls that’s when you should do a feeding. At that feeding it should smell sour and kind of like fresh yogurt.
The reason the height of your starter isn’t as important as other signs is it could be due to other factors: weaker flour, a very “wet” starter (the flour you might be using isn’t able to absorb as much water and so it wont rise as high), a high percentage of rye or whole grains, etc.
Hope that helps!
Hi, thanks for the great info… a few questions, if I may… do I have to use rye flour? Is that what makes it sourdough? Or can I just use wheat flour? Also you mentioned that if you don’t feed it as often it will be more sour… if I love the sourness of sourdough can I intentionally feed it less? And finally, I work long hours… can I take him to work with me when it gets time to feed him multiple times a day? Thanks!
You don’t have to use rye flour, that’s not what makes it “sourdough” at all. I find rye flour really helps get your starter going due to the high amount of nutrients inherent in rye flour, but this is up to you. If you want a more sour bread you can extend the cold proof in the fridge when making a dough or use more whole grains in your starter and bread formula. You can keep your starter wherever you’d like 🙂
Today is day 5 on my 4th attempt at a starter. Tommorow I will start an am and pm feed because it looks to be doing what it’s supposed to. The thing I’m concerned about is it smells sweet alcoholy with yeasty under tones and the skin on top is a little whitish? Not sure if that’s a bad thing. So many attempt are due to me keeping my starter on top of stove for warmth and my husband would cook them accidentally.
Yikes! I hope they weren’t cooked at too high of a temperature for too long, it could kill off the bacteria/yeast we’re trying to cultivate. I’d say stick with the feedings if it looks like you’re getting a reliable rise and fall out of your culture!
This blog is a treasure trove of information! The photos in particular are extremely helpful. My father taught me to bake yeast bread when I was young; now that I’m retired, I’m baking again and have always wanted to try sourdough. This site is giving me hope that I might actually be successful! Thanks! I do have a question though: It seems as if yogurt might contribute good bacteria to a starter, rather than just relying on local bacteria to do the trick. What are your thoughts?
Thanks, Vicki! I’m confident you’ll be successful, once you get your starter up and running you’ll already have a feel for the dough and it’ll be like riding a bike. I do not think yogurt will add anything to your starter culture. Yogurt ferments milk whereas our sourdough starter (and associated strains of bacteria and yeast) act on the sugars present in flour for fermentation. Perhaps there might be some crossover but I can’t say for sure — I’ve never tried this! Hope that helps, happy baking 🙂
Hi! I just went to feed my started (day five) and there was a bunch of fluffy mold growing on the top of the jar so had to throw everything out!! Do you keep the upper part of the jar clean/with no starter in contact? Thanks so much, Megan
Ahh, darn! Yes, if there’s mold, chuck it. If you’re in a very humid area you might want to stir your starter midway through refreshments to prevent oxygen from sitting on top too long. When I do a refreshment I try my best to clean the sides of the jar with a paper towel to remove excess starter — my environment here is also very dry so mold is rarely a problem with anything.
You could use a clean jar at each refreshment until you get your starter going, I know it’s a lot of work but it might be helpful until things pickup (and your starter has higher acidity which will stave off mold to some degree).
Hello Mauritzio! Amazing guide for beginners! Thank you so much for sharing your tips. I am in the process of making the starter.. day 10 and I don’t see any activity! The first three days the activity was amazing but after day five despite the feedings there is no activity.. no rising at all after the feedings. I follow everything step by step and can’t wait to start baking.. should I make a new starter? Thank you in advance!
Hey there, thank you! That’s totally normal. Have a look at my Sourdough Starter Frequently Asked Questions page, you’ll see an answer to your question there!
Hi! My friend in California would like me to mail her some of my starter and I live in South Dakota so it may take a few days – do you have any tips for how I should go about mailing her some and keeping it in good shape with the delay in arriving to her? Thanks!
Hey! What I would do is mix up a small amount and reduce the hydration significantly so it’s more of a dry paste rather than a liquid starter. You could mix up 100g white flour, 60g water, and 10g mature starter (your starter) and place this in a couple ziploc bags and then in a rigid ziplock container. I would also write on the container “sourdough starter” just in case anyone at the mail office does an inspection.
I’ve traveled with my starter like this overseas and it’s worked well.
Hope that helps!
Great! Thank you so much! By the way … I love your site! I have poured over your posts the last several months and was able to create a very successful starter despite the cold weather and made my first loaves of sourdough with your beginner’s recipe last week! They turned out awesome! Made awesome grilled sandwiches – the whole family loved them! The taste, crumb and amount of sour was perfect only the crust didn’t darken up so it looked a little pale and they seemed to expand out but not up as much as I wanted – I cooked them in a Dutch oven at 450 for 20 min lid on then 20 min lid off at 425 – any tips for next time? Thanks Maurizio
Thanks so much Summer, glad to hear that! I’d say give it a bit more time on the second phase of baking to really crisp up and harden the crust. It’ll also get quite a bit more color which is always a good thing 🙂
My starter had more bubbles on day 2 than on day 4!! Not sure what happened. Should I just continue? I am following exact process described here. I do keep the jar on top of the bookshelf covered with a towel. I do have the cigar like smell in the starter. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Sam, have a look at my Sourdough Starter FAQ for answers to your questions! This type of activity is normal, stick with it.
Hii.. I have started the starter exactly the way you said last night at 7pm..now its the next day 1pm, i already see so much activity, so many bubbles as on the picture of 4th day you have shown.. so is it going well?? im worried.. this is my 5th attempt of sourdough starter.. (i kept the starter in the oven with the light turned on so its warm inside)..
Sometimes you’ll see an initial burst of activity like this due to unwanted bacteria that will eventually die off. Stick with the process and it will eventually show a more predictable rise and fall!
6 days and little to non activity. Should I do the 2/3 time feeds or start all over?
Stick with one feeding and keep at it. Don’t start over, keep feeding! Make sure to keep your culture warm, around 76-80ºF if possible!
Hi Maurizio. Thanks for the reply!
It’s very hard to keep 76-80F as I live in a cold country, despise that is spring I can not get higher than 55F. Anyway, I kept feeding it and after 10 days I saw enough activity to increase to 3 time a day. Now I am in the 12th day , I am planing to refrigerate (following your FAQ) in day 14 as I will not baking until next week.
That’s great to hear! Yes, activity will eventually increase it just becomes accelerated at warmer temperatures. Hope the bake next week goes well, happy baking!
I am feeling a bit under the weather today but my math looks at this and thinks, I put in 80 (40/40) and then take out 40 and add 80 every day, am I reading wrong or is the amount of starter growing each day?
As I’ve listed above, you want to always discard down so you only have 40g left in your jar each day (not simply take out 40g, discard down to 40g left in jar). This way you’re always starting with 40g of mature starter in your jar and adding 80g to that.
No worries, my math is usually off, even on my healthy days 🙂
Iv been following your instructions and have just finished day 4, day 1 and 2 I had some good progress, day three looked a bit sloppy then day 4 was super sloppy, I did as suggested and increased the flour ratio but I have seen virtually no activity today, almost like I’m back to day one…the smell hasn’t really changed much in the last 2 days either…should I keep going at the same pace or adjust anything?
Hannah, have a look at my Sourdough Starter FAQ for an answer to this question and more!
Hey – What’s the reason you discard starter each day?
You want to discard the fermented flour/water as all the food has been utilized by the bacteria/yeast in your culture. If you never discard a portion of your starter (or use it to make a levain or bake with it) your overall culture will become more and more acidic. Acids are one of the byproducts of fermentation and by discarding we keep these to manageable levels.
Hi, I started my first sourdough starter using another recipe before i found yours. On day 3, I started feeding it twice a day, but it didn’t look anything like yours did when you started feeding it twice a day. I have frothy surface now (day 7) but not many bubbles on the side. Should I go back to feeding it once a day or continue with the twice a day? If it’s frothy / has a little liquid on the top – is it still “good”? It never doubles in size…maybe goes up only by 1/3. Thank you so much!
Many, stick with once a day feedings until you see some activity in the culture resembling what I have in my pictures. It could be that it’s just taking a bit longer to get going. One thing you want to do is try to keep your culture warm, 75ºF would be great!
Hi can I use whole meal spelt flour in place of rye flour.
That’s a great question. I have not tried using spelt to create a starter but it should work! I’ve used rye flour to create numerous starters here at this point and it works reliably every time. If you don’t have rye, or don’t want to pick any up, I’d say go with the spelt and if after a couple weeks nothing happens try rye.
great page..started my starter 3 days ago…say a prayer it works I am sooo looking forward to some sourdough bread and would hate to have to waite for longer …lol x
Hah, that’s great to hear. Glad to have you along and happy baking!
Hi! When you say discard to get rid of everything but 40 grams of starter, do you actually mean throw it away? I am new to all of this and would feel bad throwing perfectly good starter away. Can I just put another 40 grams in another jar and have two going? I hope what I am asking makes sense! Thank you
That’s correct, throw it out (or compost as much as you can like I do). You can definitely use that discard portion to create another starter, give it to a friend or check out my Recipes (near the bottom) for other food to make with your starter in your kitchen!
Hey! I’ve been trying to make starter for weeks – and I never seem to get past the day 4 or 5 stage in terms of bubbles. It rises and falls like clockwork, but I can’t seem to get the huge bubbles like you have. I’m using a 50/50 mix of rye and all-purpose. I’m using a jar covered with a paper towel and an elastic. Any tips?
Hey there, Lisa! Have a look at my Sourdough Starter FAQ and take a look at the section about a “dying” starter 🙂 Keep at it, your starter will take hold given enough time!
Hi! I have started my sourdough starter 9 days ago and today is the first day It really showed some activity (big bubbles, rising) but it has a strong smell, kind of like acetone. Is this normal? I’ve been using only whole wheat flour.
Thanks!
Hey! It could be that your starter is going too far (fermenting too long) before you’re refreshing it. Try to check in on it periodically through the day (if you’re home) and take note of when it rises to its peak and starts to fall. You might need to feed it sooner, especially since you’re using whole wheat flour!
Thanks! I’m gonna try feeding it more often!
Hi Maurizio, I have started my 1st starter for couple days only. Always thought the flour that I used was 50% T65 + 50% Rye +100% water. After second feeding, my starter smells quite sour and pretty runny on day 3. Then the 3rd feeding was 50% T65 + 50% Rye + 60% water. Just realise the flour was T80 instead of T65, which means I was using wheat flour all the time…
For my next feeding, should I use 100% APW + 60% water? or do you have any suggestion?
Thank you in advance.
Also, thank you for this outstanding and useful blog.
Today I fed the starter with 50% T80 + 50% Rye + 60% water, after couple hours the starter didn’t have any changes at all, not even a bubble. So I fed again, but only 100% T80 + 60% water this time.
You’re very welcome! You can use any combination of flour you’d like but in the beginning, when trying to get your starter established, I like to use a percentage of whole grain rye flour to help kickstart the process. Once your starter is rising and falling predictably you can change to whatever mixture you’d like.
So, if you have that rye flour hanging around, continue with that and the T80 (this is a “more whole wheat” flour than white flour). Keep an eye on the mixture, it could ferment faster than the timeline I have listed here due to the added whole grains.
Hope this helps, stick with it!
Hi Maurizio. Everything was going really good at the beginning, by the third day I got a really nice fall and rise. Then on the fourth day, I did the feeding and then after that (now it is day 5) nothing seems to be happening. Should I scrap it and start again?
Jayden, have a look at my Sourdough Starter FAQ, there’s answers to your exact question!
I am so sorry. I should have looked there first. Thank you heaps for still getting back to me.
Hi Maurizio! im in a bit of a pickle. My starter is looking great but I’m going away for march break. So what should i do.
Hey, Christian! Keep it in the fridge, it will last a long time there between feedings — easily one week.
Hi Maurizio! I’ve been following your very informative blog for over a month now. And I’ve been trying to grow a starter for the last 3 weeks. It seems to only progress as far as your Day 4, but without any bubbles on top. In fact, I almost never see bubbles on the top. There will be bubbles on all sides and the bottom, however, more time than not there is a slightly hardened crusty layer on top. No bubbles. What gives? The humidity in my kitchen is around 35% or lower, so I think that means I should add a bit more water. And I do that. But I can’t seem to get this starter to progress much farther. Any suggestions?
Are you keeping your jar loosely covered? You might want to keep a loose-fitting lid on top (so gasses can still escape) like I do here, I keep the glass cover for these Weck jars on top without the clamps. It’s most likely that crusty layer preventing you from seeing any bubbles — which are not necessary but they do help give you a sense of progression.
Hi Maurizio, is it ok to change the jar? it is Pretty dirty with remains of the starter and i can barely see the moves of the starter…
Absolutely. I change mine when it gets overly dirty, probably once every week or two. Just make sure you rinse it out well in case there’s any soap reside in there.
Nice site! LMK if this has been asked… but what to do with the discarded product? I don’t like throwing out perfectly fine “food” I can do math and keep several feedings at a time… that a good idea?
Thank you! You can use your leftover starter in a surprising number of things in the kitchen! Here’s a link to my top leftover starter recipes. In addition, have a look at my Recipes page (link @ top) near the bottom, there’s a few more ideas!
You can also store the discard in the fridge for a short time until you can get to using it. Just smell/taste a bit to ensure it’s not overly sour and it’s a good flavor addition to most baked goods!
Hi Maurizio! just wondering if I have to wait 8 days of feeding to start baking my own loaf. I’m just pretty eager to start. thanks
Hey Christian! You need to wait until your starter displays signs of sufficient strength. A good indicator is when it’s rising and falling predictably each day — meaning, for example, you feed it sometime in the morning and by the evening it needs more food again (it’s risen to some height and then starts to fall).
Have a look at my Sourdough Starter Maintenance Routine post for some pictures and words about what to look for!
Hi Maurizio! Been working on my starter for about a week and a half – getting some great activity, but the starter doesn’t pass the float test. Is that something to be concerned about? Or should I go ahead with a levain build and see if the levain floats?
Thanks!
The float test is definitely not a 100% full proof method but it is a very good general indicator when your levain has enough activity to leaven your dough. You want your starter to rise and fall predictably each day and show signs of strong fermentation (sweet/sour smell, bubbles, etc.) before making a levain. I’d focus on your starter for a week if you can wait that long. Focus on feeding it at the same times each day, keep it warm (75ºF) and observe its behavior. Once you see this rise and fall happen around the same time each day make a levain and test the levain with the float test. If it doesnt float give it another hour or two to ferment more and test again.
If you haven’t yet had a look at my Sourdough Starter Maintenance Routine, check it out! I have some in depth discussion on what I mean by rise and fall and also signs to look for during the entire fermentation process.
Hope this helps!
Thank you I have successfully completed 8 days of the starter and have two loaves rising as I write this. I have attempted this before without success, I believe the use of rye flour is the difference, I chose to use only the rye. I can’t wait to bake these two loaves and will come back and post how they turn out.
That’s so great to hear, thank you! Happy baking 🙂
Hi Maurizio,
My first day went by too quickly…and the flour and water mixture appeared effervescent…I did a second feed in the morning…and by late afternoon it was pretty active..and now it flatten down back to its original state and its only 6 pm…I am in the tropics and it gets pretty hot..is this normal?
That is normal for a very hot and humid climate. You might need to use even less starter at each feeding to lengthen the timeline between refreshments. You can always just feed more often, too, either way. Try to find a cool spot in your kitchen!
Thanks mate, I have found a cold spot.. and it’s progressing wonderful.. I am on my third day.. no mishaps all cool and smelling well! Thanks mate!
Hi Maurizio,
I am looking at your posts and I am really excited to try these techniques to bake a great loaf.
I am from Central India the weather here is completely different from where you are. During the day we 30C to 40C and at night its around 20-30C. Would the amount of Fermentation change for me drastically?
Also Rye flour is not available, so can i get the same results with wheat flour?
Hi! Temperature is very, very important with baking. The warmer the temperatures the faster the fermentation. Just keep an eye on the dough and judge when to move on to each next step based on how it looks and feels instead of the actual time I describe here. Watch the dough not the clock, as they say.
If you can’t get rye flour that’s ok, just use whole wheat for that component.
Happy baking!
No wonder my breads are this sour.