How to Make a Sourdough Starter for Beginners
Learn the step-by-step process of how to make a sourdough starter from scratch. This easy method is geared towards beginners and will help you get your starter going very quickly.
Note: At the very bottom of this article there is a concise printable schedule for making your sourdough starter as well as a video series walking you through each day. However, I highly suggest reading through the full post as it will give you much more detailed information and will answer many of your questions.
Sourdough Starter Overview
A sourdough starter is a culture of wild yeast and bacteria that is used to leaven bread. Those who bake with a sourdough starter have either obtained one from someone else, or have cultivated their own.
The process of making your own sourdough starter from scratch is actually quite simple. There are many different methods to create a starter, but they all essentially involve combining flour and water together and letting it ferment.
There are naturally occurring yeast and bacteria living in flour, as well as in the air. When water is added to the equation, these yeast and bacteria start feeding on the starches in the flour. As the starter is fed fresh flour and water over and over again, the culture gets vigorous enough that it can be used to leaven bread.
How Long Can a Sourdough Starter Live?
A sourdough starter, also called a levain, is a living culture. It must be cared for in order for it to stay healthy and active, however, if cared for properly it can stay alive indefinitely. There are people baking with sourdough starters that are 100+ year old.
My sourdough starter’s name is Millie, and I have cared for her for about a year. It is common to name your starter because it is alive and it helps you feel the need to care for it. Furthermore, every starter is unique in its makeup of yeast and bacteria. Your unique starter deserves a unique name!
A brand new sourdough starter will be much more mild in flavor than a sourdough starter that has aged a bit. As your starter ages, it will take on a more complex and sour flour. Some believe that the older the starter, the better the starter. However in my experience, a well cared for starter that is one year old works just as well as a starter that is 20 years old.
Before You Start Your Sourdough Starter
Before you start day one of making your starter from scratch, you will need to pick a time of day that you can dedicate about 5-10 minutes to your starter for about 10 days in a row. Once your starter gets nice and active, you will not have to tend to it every single day. But as you are building it up nice and strong, you will need to feed it every day.
There are also a few pieces of equipment that you will need. I go much more in depth about the equipment in my Sourdough Bread Making Equipment article, but I will briefly review them here as well. (Note: the links below are affiliate links.)
- Digital scale: We will be weighing our water and flour as we get our starter going. It really does make the process a lot easier!
- Digital thermometer: We will be taking the temperature of our water and it is important to be accurate.
- 3 Glass Containers at least 24 oz in size with lid: You will need 1 container for your starter, 1 container for your discard, and 1 clean container to switch your starter into when you are ready. The lid does not need to be airtight, and in fact, I will be instructing you to keep the lid somewhat loose on your starter.
- Small Rubber Spatula (optional): This spatula is completely optional, but I think it works really well to mix your water and flour together.
How to Start a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
I want to preface this section by stating that there are endless different methods of building a sourdough starter. No one way is the best way. This method is the one that I have had success with time and time again and what I find to be the most consistent.
Day 1
Watch my Day 1 Sourdough Starter Video on YouTube.
On day one, you want to weigh your empty container without the lid and write that down in grams. You can tape it to your jar so you’ll always know it. You’ll have a better understanding of why we do this on day two, but it will help you know how much starter is left in your jar.
Keep your jar on the scale and then zero it out, so the jar isn’t being weighed anymore. The button on your scale may say “tare”. Now measure out 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of filtered water that has been just slightly warmed to 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix all of this together vigorously until all of the flour is completely hydrated.
Place the lid on your starter but do not make it airtight. My lids come with rubber seals on them that I remove. This way as the starter creates gasses they have somewhere to escape. Leave your starter to sit at room temperature (about 70-75 F, 21-24 C) until about the same time tomorrow.
Day 2
Watch my Day 2 Sourdough Starter Video on YouTube.
On day two you might not see much change in your starter. It might look completely the same, or you might already see some small bubbles forming.
My starter had some small bubbles but it also had a thin layer of greyish/black liquid on top. This is called “hooch” and it is normal. Sometimes your starter will get it and it is a byproduct of the alcohol production in your starter. It is also a sign that your starter is hungry and it is time to feed it! If there is a lot of hooch, you can pour it off, or you can stir it back in if there is only a small amount. It isn’t harmful.
Today we are going to do our first feeding, which means that we are going to discard some of the starter and give it fresh flour and water. You want to keep 25 grams of your starter from yesterday. So weigh your jar and remove enough starter so that the jar now weighs 25 grams more than the empty jar weight.
You will want to throw away (or you can compost) the discard while you are building up your starter. Once the starter is very active you can start saving your sourdough discard and use it in other baking. You can read my full article about how to reduce and use your sourdough discard here!
Add 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of filtered water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until about the same time tomorrow.
This is called a 1:2:2 feeding. Which means you have one part starter and added two parts (or double the amount) flour and two parts water.
Day 3
Watch my Day 3 Sourdough Starter Video on YouTube.
By day 3 you might see a little surge of activity. My starter was full of bubbles and signs of life! It is so fun to see. If you don’t see this, do not worry! Keep going with the process and trust that it will get active.
Note: It is extremely common to see this surge of activity in the beginning and then for it to die down again. Do not worry if this happens to your starter! Keep going with the process.
Today, repeat the exact same thing that you did yesterday. Keep 25 grams of starter and add 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of filtered water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until about the same time tomorrow.
Day 4, 5, 6, Etc…
Watch my Day 4+ Sourdough Starter Video on YouTube.
By day 4 my starter doubled in size by the time it was time to feed it again, and is looking really bubbly and nice. But it still isn’t quite ready to bake with!
From now on you are going to do the same feeding until your starter is ready to move into the maintenance phase. Instead of doing the same 1:2:2 feeding that we have been doing over the past few days, we are going to do a 1:3:3 feeding. Meaning that we will mix one part starter with three parts (or triple the amount) flour, and three parts water. The reason for this is that hopefully our starter is getting more active so we are going to give it more food to get through the day. More food will also attract more yeast and bacteria.
Keep 25 grams of starter and add 75 grams of whole wheat flour and 75 grams of water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at warm room temperature until the next day. Do this same feeding over the next few days.
When you starter looks like it is at least doubling in size in 4-6 hours after feeding that is a good indication that your starter is strong enough to bake with. Ideally you want it to do this for a few days to be certain that it is truly strong enough. Once it is doubling in that 4-6 hour mark after feeding, you can move into maintenance and start baking with it.
An important note, this time frame will be different for everyone. It will take at least a week but could take much longer.
Maintenance Feeding
Watch my Sourdough Maintenance Video on YouTube
Once you starter is doubling in size in 4-6 hours after feeding, you can start feeding it what I call “the maintenance feeding.” This is the feeding that I do every time I feed my starter moving forward.
We are going to keep the same ratio of the 1:3:3 feeding. Depending on if it is a baking day or a non-baking day, you can keep more or less starter, feeding it this same ratio. If it is a non-baking day, I will often only keep 5 grams of starter and feed it 15 grams of flour and 15 grams of water. If it is a baking day, and I need more for my bread dough, then I will keep and feed a larger quantity based on how much I need. If this is too confusing for you, you can continue with the 25:75:75 feedings.
Now that you are on the maintenance phase, you can feed your starter white flour if you like. I like to feed my starter part whole wheat flour and part unbleached all purpose flour. Usually I do about 1/3 whole wheat flour and 2/3 white flour. A 100% whole grain starter is going to create a more sour bread. You can play around with the ratios to see what you like.
After you feed your sourdough starter you have 3 options: You can use part of it in a bread dough, you can leave it at room temperature until the next feeding, or you can store it in the refrigerator.
To Use Your Starter in a Recipe
You never want to use all of your starter in a recipe or you will not have any to feed the next day. However much starter your recipe calls for, you want to feed enough that you will have some extra after making your dough. For instance if you need 100 grams of starter for your recipe you might want to feed 20 grams of starter with 60 grams of flour and 60 grams of water. This will give you 140 grams total starter- enough to make your dough and have some extra for your next bake.
Feed your starter about 8-10 hours before you want to mix your dough. After you feed it, it will get bubbly and start rising in your jar. In the beginning, your starter will get sort of a dome on top of it as it rises, and then it will eventually flatten out, and start falling. You want to use your starter before it falls.
I highly suggest starting with my no-knead sourdough bread recipe for your first few bakes. This will help you understand the basic process of sourdough bread before moving onto more difficult recipes.
There will be a window of time in which your starter is active enough to use in a dough. Usually it is somewhere between 6-12 hours. I try to use mine in the 8-10 hour range. Your starter is ready to go into a dough when it has more than doubled in size, and is very active and bubbly. There will also be visible bubbles breaking the surface on top of your starter.
After you use some of your starter in your bread dough, you can leave it be until your normal feeding time.
Long Term Sourdough Storage & Maintenance
There are two main ways to store your starter for maintenance: at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Whichever way you choose, you will need to care for it. It is alive and needs to be fed.
Room Temperature Sourdough Starter Storage
Storing your sourdough starter at room temperature is the best way to keep a really active and vigorous starter. Feeding your starter consistently will keep it the strongest. However, keeping it at room temperature does mean you need to feed it at least once a day. I work this into my morning routine and honestly it doesn’t take much longer than it takes me to brush my teeth.
But I totally understand if you do not want to do this everyday. If that is the case for you, then you can store it in your refrigerator.
Refrigerator Sourdough Starter Storage
Cold temperatures will slow the yeast and bacteria in your sourdough culture way down which means you don’t need to feed it as frequently. Ideally, if you keep your starter in the refrigerator, you want to try to feed it at least every 7-10 days to keep it really healthy. But if you forget to feed your starter for a few weeks, do not throw it out! Starters are much harder to kill then is commonly thought. It might get very weak, but it probably isn’t dead. Give it a few consistent feedings and it should spring back to life. They are very resilient.
To store your sourdough starter in the refrigerator, feed it your normal feeding and then let it sit out at room temperature to get bubbly. Once it looks lively, you can move it to the refrigerator.
When you go to feed your refrigerated starter, take it out of the fridge and feed it as you normally do. Let it sit at room temperature to wake up and start feeding for a few hours. Once it looks bubbly, you can place it back in the refrigerator.
How to Bake with Your Starter that has Been Refrigerated
When you want to bake with your starter and it has been in the refrigerator, you might need a couple of feedings before it is active enough to put in a bread dough. If I want to start a dough on a Friday, I will typically take mine out on Wednesday and feed it Wednesday, Thursday, and then after Friday’s feeding it is good to go.
There are some bread baker’s that will bake with it the same day they refresh it from the refrigerator. It really just depends on how vigorous your starter is and you will have to get to know your unique starter and how well it works!
Troubleshooting Sourdough Starter
If your starter is struggling to get going active, you might check out my comprehensive sourdough troubleshooting guide.
A few things you might try to give it a bit of a boost: Make sure that where you are storing it is not drafty. Cool temperatures slows down the culture activity. Find a warmer spot to keep your starter.
You might also try switching to a different, higher quality, brand of flour. I have always used conventional flour for my starters, but an organic flour may help give you starter a little more strength.
If your starter is consistently getting a lot of hooch on top (the liquid that can form on top) it may be getting too hungry before you feed it. Try keeping your starter somewhere that is a little cooler or using water that is slightly cooler when you feed it. You can also try to increase the amount of flour and water you are feeding the starter to make sure it has enough food until its next feeding.
Resources
There are many different sourdough resources I used when I was first learning. They all have been helpful in their own way. But as I started baking sourdough myself, I was able to stitch all of the information together to create my own method that I feel makes the most sense and has been the most consistent.
Below are the resources I have used the most and are definitely worth diving into if you want to go more in depth about sourdough!
- Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast by Ken Forkish
- Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson
- Bread Baking for Beginners by Bonnie Ohara
- Bread Science: The Chemistry and Craft of Making Bread by Emily Buehler
- Elaine Foodbod on Instagram
- The Perfect Loaf Sourdough Resource Website
Please ask any questions you may have in the comment section. I am always happy to answer them. Below you will find a more concise printable schedule for how to build and maintain your starter. You also may find my Sourdough Series on YouTube to be really helpful. I made a video for each day of building the starter so you can see the whole process!
How to Make a Sourdough Starter for Beginners
This is a comprehensive step-by-step guide for how to start a sourdough starter from scratch for beginners. Your very own sourdough starter can be created from only flour and water and is much easier to make than most think!
Materials
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Filtered Water
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Instructions
Before you start day one of the process, make sure that you can set aside 5-10 minutes at about the same time of day for the next 2 weeks. I find it best to work it into your morning or nighttime routine. Once your starter is nice and strong you will no longer have to tend to it every single day.
DAY 1
- Weigh your empty jar without the lid and write that down in grams. I like to tape it to my jar so I always know how much it weighs. You will need this weight later.
- Zero out your scale (tare) and then add 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of water that has been just slightly warmed to 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix all of this together vigorously until all of the flour is completely hydrated.
- Place the lid on your container but not airtight. If your lid has a rubber seal you can remove it. Or flip the lid upside down. You want the gasses to be able to escape.
- Let your jar sit at room temperature (about 70-75 F, 21-24 C) until about the same time tomorrow.
DAY 2
- On day two you might not see much change in your starter. It might look completely the same, or you might already see some small bubbles forming. If it has a black liquid forming on top, this is hooch and it is normal. Either pour it off or stir it back in.
- You want to keep 25 grams of your starter from yesterday and toss the rest out. Weigh your jar and remove enough starter so that the jar now weighs 25 grams more than the empty jar weight.
- Add 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of filtered water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until about the same time tomorrow.
- By day 3 you might see a little surge of activity. If you don’t see this, do not worry! Keep going with the process and trust that it will get active.
- Today, repeat the exact same thing that you did yesterday. Keep 25 grams of starter and add 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of filtered water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until about the same time tomorrow.
- By day 4 you will likely be seeing at least a little activity, and usually quite a lot of bubbles. It still isn't strong enough to bake with, but signs of life will hopefully be there. If not, trust the process and keep going! (Note: Sometimes you can get something called a "false start" and the activity you saw on Day 3 has died stopped. If this happens, do not feed today. Simply stir the mixture and leave it at room temperature until you see activity again. Then continue on with the process. This can sometimes take a couple days.)
- You are now going to do the same feeding until your starter is ready to move into the maintenance phase. Keep 25 grams of starter and add 75 grams of whole wheat flour and 75 grams of water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at a warm room temperature until the next day. Do this same feeding over the next few days.
- When your starter looks like it is at least doubling in size in about 4-6 hours that is a good indication that it is getting strong. Ideally you want it to do this a few days in a row to confirm that it is strong enough to leaven bread. Once it does this, you can move into maintenance and start baking with it! (Note: Be patient here. It is going to take at least a week, and usually longer, for your starter to get strong. Keep with it.)
- Once you starter is doubling in size in 4-6 hours after feeding, you can start feeding it what I call "the maintenance feeding." This is the feeding that I do every time I feed my starter moving forward.
- We are going to keep the same ratio of the 1:3:3 feeding. Depending on if it is a baking day or a non-baking day, you can keep more or less starter, feeding it this same ratio. If it is a non-baking day, I will often only keep 5 grams of starter and feed it 15 grams of flour and 15 grams of water. If it is a baking day, and I need more for my bread dough, then I will keep and feed a larger quantity based on how much I need. If this is too confusing for you, you can continue with the 25:75:75 feedings.
- Now that you are on the maintenance phase, you can feed your starter white flour if you like. I like to feed my starter part whole wheat flour and part unbleached all purpose flour. Usually I do about 1/3 whole wheat flour and 2/3 white flour. A 100% whole grain starter is going to create a more sour bread. You can play around with the ratios to see what you like.
- After you feed your sourdough starter you have 3 options: You can use part of it in a bread dough, you can leave it at room temperature until the next feeding, or you can store it in the refrigerator.
DAY 3
Note: It is very common to see a surge of activity in these first few days and then for it to die down later. If this happens, do not start over. Your culture is just trying to stabilize. Keep moving forward.
DAY 4+
MAINTENANCE FEEDING
TO USE YOUR STARTER IN A RECIPE
You never want to use all of your starter in a recipe or you will not have any to feed the next day. However much starter your recipe calls for, you want to feed enough that you will have some extra after making your dough. For instance if you need 100 grams of starter for your recipe you might want to feed 20 grams of starter with 60 grams of flour and 60 grams of water. This will give you 140 grams total starter- enough to make your dough and have some extra for your next bake.
Feed your starter about 8-10 hours before you want to mix your dough. After you feed it, it will get bubbly and start rising in your jar. In the beginning, your starter will get sort of a dome on top of it as it rises, and then it will eventually flatten out, and start falling. You want to use your starter before it falls.
TO REFRIGERATE YOUR STARTER
To store your sourdough starter in the refrigerator, feed it your normal feeding and then let it sit out at room temperature to get bubbly. Once it looks lively, you can move it to the refrigerator.
You will want to feed your refrigerated starter every 7-10 days. To feed, take it out of the fridge and feed it as you normally do. Let it sit at room temperature to wake up and start feeding for a few hours. Once it looks bubbly, you can place it back in the refrigerator.
When you want to bake with your starter and it has been in the refrigerator, you might need a couple of feedings before it is active enough to put in a bread dough. If I want to start a dough on a Friday, I will typically take mine out on Wednesday and feed it Wednesday, Thursday, and then after Friday’s feeding it is good to go.
Notes
- Sourdough starters are more resilient than most think. If you forget to feed your starter for a while or mess up the ratios, do not throw it out! Get back on schedule and after a few regular feedings it should spring back to life!
- The most common question I get is "Why isn't my starter bubbly yet?" Usually the answer is "be patient!" But you can also check out my sourdough troubleshooting guide for more tips!
- If your starter gets bubbles in the beginning and then it dies down later in the process, this is extremely normal! Do not start over, it is not dead. It is just trying to stabilize. Keep moving forward.
- Try my no-knead sourdough bread for your first bake! It is a great beginner bread to help get your feet wet!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
110 Comments on “How to Make a Sourdough Starter for Beginners”
Bettie:
I’m not a whole wheat lover.
Could the starter be made from white flour? Or perhaps a bit of both?
Hi Charlie! Eventually you will move into using a very small amount of whole wheat and mostly white flour. However, to get your starter going you are going to be much more successful with whole wheat flour. Whole grains contain more natural yeast and bacteria, as well as more nutrients to feed them. Once you put your starter into your bread dough, there will be a negligible amount of whole wheat flour in the bread. A teaspoon at the most for a whole loaf of bread. Hope that helps!
Love your site and your recipes! From cakes to breads, all your recipes are delicious!
Is it practical for the occasional bread baker to keep a starter or should I rely on the dry starter I have been using in the past.
I love the whole concept of sourdough. I’ve only attempted it a few times, but it is pure magic!
Thank you!
Hi Darlene! I think it is absolutely practical for the occasional bread baker to maintain a starter. But it all depends on if you want to have to think about it and remember to feed it. If you keep your starter in the refrigerator, ideally you want to try to feed it every 7-10 days to keep it healthy. If you forget it about it for a few weeks or even a month or two, it likely won’t die. But it may take a few regular feedings to become strong again. I find so much joy in building and maintaining my own. It feels like a deeply personal process made with so much love. But I definitely understand it not being for everyone! Let me know if you have any other questions!
After about 4 days my starter looked great, nice and big and healthy. Then it wouldn’t rise anymore. Now about day 10 or so, it struggles. I feed it 25/75/75 everyday but it just stays flat. A little liquid in there everyday. Too much water? I even changed out the jar, but no change.
On a side note, and I’m not complaining, in your instructions I think it’s supposed to say starter instead of flour in step 2.
Quote “Over the next few days you are going to do the same feeding until your starter is ready to move into the maintenance phase. Keep 25 grams of flour and add 75 grams of whole wheat flour and 75 grams of water at 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C). Mix together until well combined. Cover and let sit at room temperature until the next day. Do this same feeding over the next few days. ”
Also, I didn’t know you were from Lawrence Kansas, or at least went to college there. I’m from there and my son works at Burt Nash in Lawrence.
Thanks for all you do.
Frank
Hi Frank! Ugh, so sorry to hear that your starter is having issues. Did it start when you switched to white flour? I’m sure you are, but just checking that you are definitely using unbleached flour? Why don’t you try to switch back to all whole wheat flour and see if it springs back to life. Sometimes that can help! Thank you for pointing out the typo! I’m fixing it now!
I am actually from Hutchinson, Ks. But I went to KU and lived in Lawrence for about 6 years. I worked at Bert Nash too! I was a dual diagnosis case manager there from 2011-2013. What a small world!
I just realized you said it was once you moved to 1:3:3 feeding so you are still doing all whole wheat. Did you by chance change the brand of whole wheat? Sometimes starters can be quite picky. Also, maybe try to use slightly warmer water for a few days or finding a bit warmer spot for it.
Hi Bettie,
I have seen your playlist on sourdough. I was hoping to find more detailed information giving visual clues on the activitiy of the starter. But I have not seen it.
Specifically I am looking for a visual video, where you can show that specific signs our starter gives us to know when it is ready, about ready and when it has passed. (You showed a bubbly top and sides, but is there more?) I am on day 5 and my starter has shown still little bubbles, I feed it in the morning so I don’t know if there was no activity at all or if it has deflated totally.
Also, you are talking about a starter being ready any time between 8 and 12 hours. So my question is: Is there any relation between the time the starter is ready to all the proofing times involved when baking? Are there any visual clues as to know if only bulk time is to be applied to the bread, or if there is any time remaining to shape and allow a second rise?
I hope you are interested in answering these questions. You are very good at explaining things and I think these extras may be a plus to your course.
Kind regards,
Maria
After I’ve used 100 grams of starter for the basic sd recipe, do I add the left over starter to my discard in the frig? The discard is only whole wheat flour. The left over starter from today has the white
unbleached flour in it.
I began my starter 01.16.20 so today is Day 14
I am using a small plastic mixing bowl because this is what was mentioned as being satisfactory by another professional
Sourdough author
Other than that bowl, I have followed your directions explicitly.
The starter is still not ready for use per the water glass test I just made again
I’m not certain this will ever be viable
It seems too runny as opposed to being more sponge like
What are your thoughts and recommendations, please Thank you!
I guess that we have never made sourdough bread before but would be very interested in trying it but was wondering how did the pioneer women do this while they were trekking across this country on a day in and day out situation, maybe this is harder to do then I think but still want to try it kind of like baking a cake or a pie.
I am following you and I am on day 10 and my sour dough bread starter is still not doubling in size. What should I do?
Hello, hope you are well. Thank you, your instructions are very helpful and clear. I do have one question. After day two feeding, my starter became super active, but after day three feeding, my starter is back to looking like day one. Is that normal?
What kind of jars to do you use for holding the starter? Been having a hard time finding good ones.
Hi there! I have a whole article with all of the equipment I use here: https://bakerbettie.com/sourdough-bread-equipment/
My favorite jars are the 34 oz wide mouth jar from Ikea: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/ikea-365-jar-with-lid-glass-bamboo-s99276797/
Or the 20 oz Le Parfait Jars: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072DVZ5SC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bakebett-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B072DVZ5SC&linkId=7f3c98674c3ca8ecd4f68fdbfd655c40
This is my first sourdough starter & I have a question. If it is ready Apr 17 and I typically feed it around 9pm, when do I plan to use it in a recipe? Do I need to do the maintenance feeding first?
Hi Lori, when your starter is strong enough to go into maintenance you are also ready to start using it for bread. Before you start a loaf of bread you need to do a maintenance feeding and wait until it is active and bubbly before putting it in a dough. Usually 6-10 hr range after feeding.
Hello! I have been following your videos almost exactly, the only difference is I only used whole wheat on day 1 and switched to AP unbleached flour on day 2 and on. I am on day 7 and it smells vinegary, is runny, and doesn’t rise much at all, like not even 1/4 height. The problem must be I switched to AP flour. I finally found WW
flour at the store….switch back? Another potential problem is the WW flour I used on day 1 is expired! Lastly, on day 6 only I fed
2x that day, but it didn’t change anything. Should I start over? Thanks. Paige.
Hi Paige, I would definitely switch back to whole wheat if you have it now. No need to start over. If it smells vinegary, it is alive. It just isn’t strong yet.
I changed brands of whole wheat on day 5 since I ran out of my original Whole wheat flour and my starter was looking great until then. Now it doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Should I restart the process over with the new flour or keep going with this starter and hope it livens you again?
Hi Jenna, it is extremely common for the the starter to die down mid process. It is just trying to stabilize. Keep going with the course. I just added a new troubleshooting video that might be helpful if you have any more issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKy9oR9vkQs
Hi Bettie,
I am just in my day 1 in my starter and there seems to be a small brownish/pinkish dot on my the surface of my starter, is this a sign my starter is spoil, there seems to be activity in the starter … just the small dot..
This is my third time and it seems to hv these dots everytime. I am In singapore where weather is hot and humid. Is there anything wrong with my starter? I am using just normal plain flour
Hi Bettie
Thanks so much for your get instructions for making a sour dough starter. I am on day 6 and mine is doing quite well thinking to start to make bread on Thursdays, so giving it two more days. anyway I have been feeding my starter around 7 Pm. and now think I should be doing in in the mornings instead, what is the best way to change my feeding time. Should I feed once at 12 Hours or should I go longer and leave it unfeed til the next morning?
thanks for you help.
You just feed it early! It likes extra feedings so if you need to change the time, just feed it early. I would still feed it at 7pm and then feed it again in the morning when you want to change the feeding to.
Thank you for taking the tim to answer me. Cant wait to make my first loaf of sour dough bread
Hello Bettie!
I am ready to bake with my starter, I haven’t tied yet though it is just showing signs of being ready to bake… I have a friend who wants some of my starter to bake with and keep, how do I give her some of mine without messing up my own? Thank you!
You just give her some! There’s nothing special to it! Basically your discard is just extra starter, so you can give it to other people if you like!
and then how much will she use to feed it? the same 1:3:3 ratio?
thank you so much!
Hi there! I’ve been following your method for the sourdough starter (currently on day 5) and recently heard someone mention feeding the starter twice a day. Is this necessary and if so when should this be done? Thanks!
Hi Betty! I’ve been watching your videos religiously! I am on Day 9 and while I did have good activity days 3-5, my starter has been struggling to rise/produce all of the good bubbles really since then. It is rising slightly and has a handful of bubbles on the top, but I’m confused on why it isn’t expanding more.
I’ve read multiple sources saying we should feed it 2x a day, but I wonder if I should bump down to 1x day to give it time to ferment? I’m currently doing 2x day feedings with 1:3:3 (25g starter/75g water/75g flour)–I’m thinking of starting over but any thoughts?
Hi, Bettie. I started a sourdough starter about a month ago and it’s doing great for me. I followed a king Arthur tutorial advised from a friend. I feed 1:1:1. I’m still doing a ton of exploring and found your videos and I’m wondering, if I would like to switch to 1:3:3 can I simply make the switch? May be a silly question and I did attempt a Google but it’s not super clear to me. Thanks for your time and videos!
I was wondering the same thing as I started with the cooks illustrated tiny quarantine starter before I found your wonderful blog and videos. It all makes sense now. Hoping you will respond to this question.
Hi, thank you for making Such easy to understand instructions.
Just a couple of questions as I am new to this, I started with 50% white and 50% Wholewheat and the then 100% whiter on the first feeding which was on a recipe before I found yours, I am now on day 4, can I switch to 100% wholewheat from day 5? I changed my ratio to 1 3 3 shown on your recipe on day 4 as I was having to feed at 12 hours, but I would much prefer to use wholewheat going forward?
Also at what point can I keep my discard and should I keep it in an airtight container in the fridge as I can’t see it on your videos?
Thanks again, I am loving this, it’s like having a pet
Sam
Hi! I am new to this. I am confused about how to cover my starter. So while I have been able to find flour, everyplace is sold out of glass jars that are 24oz and larger and ikea delivery won’t get here until mid July (ugh!). So I’m using small amounts of flour right now (cooks illustrated tiny starter). I am using Bonne Maman clean jelly jars. I’ve been “screwing” the lid on but you say to place the lid on your starter and not make it airtight so should I just be placing it on top instead of tightening it or should I just cover it with Saran Wrap or even cheesecloth instead. I know this seems really basic but I’m finding it confusing. I hope you will answer.
Hi! I am new to this. I am confused about how to cover my starter. So while I have been able to find flour, everyplace is sold out of glass jars that are 24oz and larger and ikea delivery won’t get here until mid July (ugh!). So I’m using small amounts of flour right and I am using Bonne Maman clean jelly jars. I’ve been “screwing” the lid on but you say to place the lid on your starter and not make it airtight so should I just be placing it on top instead of tightening it or should I just cover it with Saran Wrap or even cheesecloth instead. I know this seems really basic but I’m finding it confusing. I hope you will answer.
Hi! I’m on day six and all is going very well. My only issue is my starter seems funnier than yours not so thick and spongelike. It was that way the first two days and once I switched to the 1:3:3 feeding it got runnier. I a, using a scale To do all measurements. Will I be able to bake bread with it like this? I tired a float test on the start of day six before I fed it and it just sunk to the bottom.
That should say runnier.
I have been feeding my starter for 5 days now. each day it doubles in size and is very active. The thing that I’m a bit puzzled about is when I leave 25g in my jar, it’s hardly any starter at all. Am I doing something wrong. I take out enough of the starter to equal 309g=284g (jar weight)+25g (starter). I stir down the starter before discarding. Should I not do this? Please advise. Cathy
Hi, I wonder the same thing. 25 gr seems to equal only about a tablespoon or so. Hardly seems enough. Some recipes call for 1/2 Cup or so of starter, that would wipe me out. Help Bettie!!!
starter amounts vary that are stored in the refrigerator.
to feed stored starter how much is required?
do i need to leave only a certain amount stored in the refrigerator?
Excellent videos. First time baking sourdough bread and using a starter. Question— When I leave the starter on the counter I leave the lid loose or use a cloth to allow it to breath, but now that I will store it in the fridge since I only bake every other week, I am in doubt if the lid has to be loose or tight?
When storing in the fridge, the lid should be tight.
Hi bettie, I’ve watched soooo many videos and none of them have been so easy to follow as yours!! Currently I’m on day 4 – not much action yet but I’m persevering now I realise I haven’t killed it (previously I’ve thrown it away!). I’m the tester as my daughter has tried many times and finally given up so it all rests with me to crack the sourdough curse!! Fingers crossed.
One quick question, watching videos ahead you start using unbleached AP flour – I live in UK and don’t think I can get this. Can I use strong white bread flour instead?
I have been feeding my starter for the last ten days and it looks the same everyday. There are bubbles on top but it isn’t growing at all. Please help!
Keep going! The bubbles on top are showing me that it’s active. Just needs more time!
Can I use almond flour to make sourdough bread?
Your instructions I followed very carefully and on the eighth day after passing the water float test I made the beginners no knead bread as advised by you.
I had a situation after 12 hours of mixing the flour with the starter and water it rose beautifully but at 65per cent hyderation it was very sticky and I could not make a ball out of it did the stretching and folding as best as I could do and kept the sticky mass in a
Bowl and baked as suggested
The bread tasted good but did not rise too much and crust was good also
What to do about the sticky mass
It’s very warm in my kitchen in
New Delhi india please help I love sourdough and want to make a good bread ASAP
Deena
Thank you for the wonderful step-by-step instructions and the great videos!
I am on Day 6 with no activity whatsoever except for Day 2 where my starter almost doubled and was bubbly.
I have followed your instructions to the letter, using approx. 88 degrees F filtered water and whole wheat bread flower. I have been keeping my starter at about 71.5 degrees F, but I noticed you wrote in the instructions of Day 4+ to « cover and let sit at warm room temperature until the next day ». Should I increase the temperature closer to 75 degrees F? Thanks!
Hi Bettie
Thank u for sharing how to start sourdough starter.
I started mine yesterday n today is Day 2 but why is it so smelly. My children complain it stink n smell like poop or vomit. Is it correct or mine turn bad?
It’s very normal. It is trying to stabilize into a culture filled with good bacteria and yeast. It will stop smelling like that as it gets more active.
Hi Bettie! I am trying out my first starter and have fed it for ~10 days. It seems to be mature in that it doubles in size, smells fruity, etc. however then come the next day feeding, it falls to the original height. What does this mean and what do you recommend doing so I can get baking with it? Thanks so much!
I have a question. I see what kind of glass jar you use for the starter. I plan on getting one from Ikea. I hope they have one when I go. My question is what kind of jar do I need for when I store it in the refrigerator? I don’t really understand if you want one that seals or not once you get your starter going. Thanks so much.
You can use the same jar for when it’s out at room temperature and when you store it in your fridge. In the fridge, it can have a tight OR loose seal. When it’s out at room temperature it should have a loose seal. I usually take the rubber seal out of my containers and use that as is for both room temp and fridge storage.
Thank you, Bettie – your recipes/videos are brilliant!
The best! No unnecessary blah, blah and very precise clear instructions. I live in France and am also very grateful for the metric information you supply.
(It’s such a pity that your Amazon affiliation does not seem to apply to Amazon France or Germany)
Hello,
I have tried the starter 2 times now. It just never did anything. I follow the directions, well I think I am. I must be missing something. One thing I did think of was that I am not using filtered water. Just water from my tab. Would that make a difference? Thanks so much. Amy
Hi and thank you for the great videos. I have a question about my starter. It is about 3 weeks old. I have been feeding it 1:3:3 for about a week. I can get it to double and it peaks in about 10-12 hours. I can’t get it to triple. I’ve read that the goal is to get it to double in 4-6 hours. I’m not sure how to do this. In the first 4 hrs, there’s bubbling but not much rise.
I feed it a mix of mostly bread flour and whole wheat flour with a little rye. My house temp is about 66 degrees and I keep the starter near the radiator.
Your thoughts are appreciated. Thank you!!
Good afternoon, my sister shared her starter with me in the summer. I have baked a few times with it. She told me to store it in the fridge and only feed it once a month. Also, that is the day I bake with it. I take out 20 % and feed it then bake with the 80%. I feed it whole wheat flour and water. I have had some success with cookies and loafs but struggle with the bread. Reading your info I think my sister is mistaken in her knowledge. I get your message as being two fold. If in fridge, feed it once a week. And also when ready to bake, let it come to room temp. feed it a few times, before baking, with the 1:3:3 to kind of wake it up and get it active. Is this correct?
Thanks
Elsie
I am wondering if I can use 100% whole grain sprouted wheat flour for starter and feeding. If so, anything special I should look for or should/shouldn’t do?
i would like to know if this recipe is good for a bread machine?
many thanks
Very happy to see my brand new starter actually doubling in size by day three. Looking forward to being able to bake bread after my starter becomes strong. Thank you for your very easy to follow instructions.
That’s great!
Can I freeze my starter if I am not baking for a couple of weeks? If so, what do I have to do once I want to take it out of the freezer and use it again? Thank you!
Bettie:
I am very new to sour dough, but am fascinated by the process and want to try and succeed. I have watched your series of videos for starter…and get it up to the actual baking step. I see what you do to use starter for baking…I am missing what you do with starter that is left in container. At this point do you feed it…or is fed for that day that you baked with a portion of starter? Do you feed it the following day a1-2-2 or 1-3-3 schedule? Or, do you feed it as if you are going to bake again with it if you want to bake another loaf of bread in a day or so? I am a little confused at this point. Other than that, I love watching your instructions and steps. Very clear and easy to follow. Thanks, Sandy
Hi Battie, thank you very much for such detailed teaching. I have a question, as you mentioned, when use the starter in a dough which the recipe need 100g starter, take 20g starter + 60g flour & 60g water to have 40g left. Isn’t to build the left 40g starter same by 1:3:3 e.g. 25g starter + 75g flour + 75g water as previous did? And how about the original starter, discard all?
Hi there. I’ve been working on my starter now for almost two weeks using your instructions. Every day it rises by half and there are bubbles (some even breaking through the top), however, it never rises by more than half, it doesn’t rise in that 4-6 hour window so I know it’s ready for maintenance and it sinks when I do the water test. Any ideas? Just keep going and trust the process?
I am looking forward as a newbie to starting a sourdough starter and baking bread. I am still a little confused by how to gave enough starter to bake a loaf of bread. So if the recipe calls for a cup of starter should I feed my starter enough flour and water to make 1 cup? If so how do u figure that out? Should I always keep a cup of starter behind to feed? Thank you for all your help it was s greatly appreciated
Good morning….I have a sour dough starter on day 3, I don’t know how many times in the past I have tried other staters from other site’s, but I have a good feeling this one is the one that will work. Your teaching skills are excellent, keep up the good work. Today I am going to try your chocolate cake recipe, it’s different from the one I have and I am sure it will be great. Thank you for all your hard work in posting the videos, I had to play the starter 3 times so that I understood it well. You make the videos easy to understand.
Ok, I am on day 11 and my starter is still not rising like your video shows. It sinks to the bottom of the glass of water, ..What do I need to do to get it to float so I can bake with it?
I keep it on top of the refrigerator, my ratio is 1:3:3, I feed it every day right at 8:00 am. I need help, please advise. Thank you very much for all you do to help us to,be a better baker, I need all the help I can get.
If a recipe calls for active dry yeast, how do I know how much sourdough starter to substitute for it? e.g. with pizza dough?