Sourdough

Starter Basics

Buying or Making Starter?

Feeding Schedules

Troubleshooting

Sourdough Starter Basics

 

A sourdough starter is a living culture made from just flour and water. With time and care, it captures wild yeast and beneficial bacteria from the environment, creating the natural leaven that gives sourdough its rise, flavor, and keeping quality. Think of it as a tiny ecosystem—simple, resilient, and surprisingly forgiving.

 

What’s in a starter?


Two ingredients do all the work:

Flour provides starches and nutrients. Whole wheat or rye jump-start activity, while white bread flour keeps flavors mild and consistent.

Water hydrates the flour and allows microbes to thrive. Use room-temperature, non-chlorinated water if possible.

 

How it works


Wild yeast produces carbon dioxide, which makes dough rise. Lactic acid bacteria create gentle acidity, giving sourdough its signature tang and helping strengthen gluten. As the starter matures, these organisms balance each other, resulting in steady fermentation and better flavor.

 

Feeding & schedule


A “feeding” refreshes the starter with new flour and water. Discarding part of the starter before feeding keeps acidity in check and gives the yeast fresh food. A common rhythm is once daily at room temperature, or weekly if stored in the refrigerator. Consistency matters more than perfection—regular feedings lead to reliable results.

 

Reading your starter


A healthy starter shows:

Bubbles throughout and on the surface

Noticeable rise (often doubling) after feeding

A pleasant aroma—mildly tangy, yogurty, or bready

If it smells sharply acidic, feed more often. If it’s sluggish, warm it slightly or switch to a higher-protein flour.

 

When is it ready to bake?


A starter is bake-ready when it’s active and predictable—rising and falling on a schedule. A small spoonful dropped into water may float, but consistency and timing are better indicators than any single test.

 

Care & confidence


Starters are hardy. Missed a feeding? Feed it. Liquid on top? Stir or pour it off, then feed. Over time, you’ll learn its rhythms—and once you do, your starter becomes a reliable partner in the kitchen, turning flour, water, and patience into deeply flavorful bread. 

 

 

Video "Your First Sourdough"

 

Buying a Sourdough Starter vs. Making Your Own

 

When you’re ready to bake sourdough, you have two great options: buying an established starter or creating one from scratch. Both work beautifully—it just depends on your goals, patience, and curiosity.

 

Buying a starter


A purchased starter is fully developed and reliable. It’s ideal if you want to bake sooner or prefer a smoother learning curve. Established starters are often dried or shipped active, then revived at home with a few feedings. The benefits? Faster results, predictable performance, and a flavor profile that’s already balanced. This is a great choice if you’re new to sourdough or short on time.

 

Making your own starter


Creating a starter yourself is simple—just flour, water, and time—but it requires patience. Over 7–14 days, wild yeast and bacteria gradually establish themselves. The process teaches you how fermentation works and helps you recognize healthy activity. Many bakers love the connection that comes from nurturing a starter from day one. The flavor develops with your local environment, making it uniquely yours.

 

Which should you choose?

 

Choose buying if you want to bake quickly and confidently.

 

Choose making your own if you enjoy the process and don’t mind waiting.

 

There’s no “better” option—both lead to excellent bread. What matters most is consistent care once your starter is alive. Whether inherited, purchased, or homemade, a well-fed starter becomes a long-term kitchen companion that improves with time and use. 

 

 

Feeding Schedules

 

Feeding your sourdough starter is how you keep it active, balanced, and ready to bake. A feeding simply means discarding part of the starter, then adding fresh flour and water to give the yeast new food.

 

What to feed it


Most bakers use bread flour for consistency and strength. Whole wheat or rye can be added occasionally to boost activity, especially if your starter seems sluggish. Use room-temperature, non-chlorinated water for best results.

 

How often to feed

 

Room temperature: Feed once every 24 hours.

Very warm kitchens or frequent baking: Feed every 12 hours.

Refrigerator storage: Feed once a week.

 

A common ratio is 1:1:1 (starter : flour : water by weight), but exact numbers matter less than consistency.

 

With regular feedings, your starter will stay lively, pleasantly tangy, and ready whenever inspiration strikes.

 

 

How do I keep my sourdough starter alive if I'm away for a few weeks?

 

Best & Easiest: Refrigerate It (3-4 weeks is no problem)

 

This is what most home bakers do. Before you leave ...

 

Feed your starter well


Feed as usual (1:1:1 or whatever you use) and let it sit at room temp 1–2 hours until it just starts to rise.

Seal loosely
Lid on, but not cranked tight.

 

Refrigerate
Pop it in the back of the fridge (coldest, most stable spot).

While you’re away - Do nothing.

 

It may form dark liquid (“hooch”) or look sleepy—totally normal.

 

When you return - Pour off hooch (or stir it in if you like extra tang).

Feed 1:1:1.

Let rise at room temp.

 

Feed once or twice more—baking-ready in 24–48 hours.

 

 

When Your Sourdough Starter Is Ready (and How to Fix Common Problems)

 

When is a starter ready to bake?


A sourdough starter is ready when it’s active, predictable, and well-fed. After feeding, it should double (or more) within 4–8 hours at room temperature. You’ll see bubbles throughout, a slightly domed surface at peak rise, and a pleasant aroma—mildly tangy, bready, or yogurty. The starter should rise and fall on a regular schedule. While the float test can work, consistency and timing are better signs than any single trick.

If your starter reliably rises after feedings and smells clean and lively, it’s ready to leaven bread—even if it’s young.

 

Sourdough Ready Test - The sourdough float test is a quick way to see if your starter is active enough to bake with.

 

How to do it: Fill a glass or bowl with room-temperature water.

Gently scoop ½ teaspoon of starter from the top of the jar (that’s where the gas lives).

Drop it in the water.

 

What the result means

 

Floats → Your starter is likely active and ready to bake. 🎉

Sinks or dissolves → It’s probably not ready yet.

 

A few important caveats (this matters)

 

The float test is helpful but not foolproof.

A starter can sink and still work, especially if:

It’s very wet (high hydration)

 

It was recently stirred

 

Your flour is whole-grain or rye (heavier)

Conversely, a starter can float but be past peak.

 

Better indicators than the float test: If you want more reliable signals, look for:

 

2×–3× rise within 4–8 hours after feeding

 

Lots of small bubbles throughout, not just on top

 

A domed surface that’s just starting to flatten

 

A smell that’s yeasty, fruity, or lightly tangy (not sharp or boozy)

Pro baker tip

 

Time your bake for when the starter is at peak rise or just barely starting to fall. That’s when yeast activity is strongest.

 

 

Troubleshooting Common Starter Problems

 

1. Starter isn’t rising


Causes: Too cold, underfed, weak flour
Fix: Move it to a warmer spot (70–78°F), feed daily, or switch to bread flour or add a small amount of whole wheat or rye.

 

2. Very sour or vinegary smell


Causes: Over-fermented, hungry starter
Fix: Feed more often, increase the flour amount, or discard more before feeding.

 

3. Liquid on top (hooch)


Causes: Starter is starving
Fix: Stir it in or pour it off, then feed. Consider feeding more frequently.

 

4. Mold (fuzzy, colored growth)


Causes: Contamination or neglect
Fix: Unfortunately, discard the starter and start fresh. Clean the jar thoroughly before restarting.

 

5. Lots of bubbles but weak rise in dough


Causes: Starter past peak, too acidic, or dough timing off
Fix: Use the starter closer to its peak and refresh it regularly before baking.

 

6. Starter smells unpleasant (cheesy, rotten)


Causes: Early-stage fermentation or imbalance
Fix: Keep feeding consistently. Most starters improve within a few days of regular care.

A final reassurance


Starters are resilient. Most problems are solved with warmth, fresh flour, and patience. Learn your starter’s rhythm, feed it well, and it will reward you with flavor, strength, and beautiful bread—again and again. 

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