Taking Care of a Sourdough Starter

Come and learn how to take care of your very own sourdough starter! Here, you can find information on how to care for, feed, and maintain your starter. There are also answers to a plethora of my most asked questions- making this the perfect guide to any beginner sourdough starter caretaker! I hope you enjoy!

Everything about sourdough- from feeding the starter to baking the bread- is a delicate & beautiful process.

It’s a process that requires patience, focus, and intentionality. It is, in it’s own right, a form of art.

And, isn’t it lovely that we serve such a beautiful Creator? A God who created us in His own image, so that we may make beautiful pieces of art, just like Him?

So, as you embark on this journey of learning the beautiful art of sourdough, remember that you are honoring the Lord in your work. As you seek to learn and create beautiful, delicious, and nourishing pieces of art, you are acting as a reflection of God- the most lovely creator there is!

However, I would also like you to remember that one of the beautiful things about art is that the process and outcome is unique to each individual, all acting (simultaneously) as a reflection of our Creator.

So with that in mind, I encourage you to read this post with the understanding that this is simply the artistic style that I have found to work the best for me.

I pray that this post would be a plethora of knowledge to you. However, I encourage you to take what you have learned from me and to use as a spring board to create your very own way of art.

Happy baking, my friends!

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How do you feed a sourdough starter?

It seems like everyone and their mom has a different way of feeding their sourdough starter. A quick Google search online will get you answers that range anywhere from “feed your starter every 12 hours” to “feeding it once a week is enough”.

And then, we can even get into what you feed your starter. The most common way is with flour and water, but I have even heard of people feeding their starter with buttermilk or beet juice!

Oh my. It can really get confusing.

Long story short, the way that I am about to recommend for sourdough starter feedings is what works the best for me. However, do your research, don’t be afraid to experiment, and do what works the best for you!

What should I “feed” my starter?

One of the amazing things about sourdough starter is that it contains live and active yeast. And, the living yeast need nutrients- just like any other being that’s ‘alive’!

Sourdough yeast typically thrive off of 2 simple ingredients: flour and water.

What kind of water should I use?

It is highly recommended to use water that has been filtered. The chemicals (particularly chlorine) that is found in unfiltered water can kill the yeast in the starter.

In the past, I have used a simple Britta water filter, and it worked well. Currently, I am using a Reverse Osmosis water filter for my bread and my flour- and I love it! It produces a very “pure” tasting bread.

If you don’t have a water filter, you can also leave an open container of tap water out at room temperature for 24 hours. This should be a sufficient amount of time to let the chlorine evaporate from the water.

I have also heard great things about using spring water to feed your starter. So, this is also an option if spring water is easily accessible to you.

What kind of flour should I use?

A higher quality flour will produce a higher quality starter. For the best results, I prefer to use an organic all-purpose flour. However, I used to buy a $2, 5-pound bag of all-purpose flour, and that worked just fine.

The most common type of flour to use for a starter would be an unbleached, all-purpose flour. However, you can really use just about any type of flour!

Swapping all-purpose flour with bread flour is an option… and I’m sure that you won’t see much of a difference in your starter if you do!

If you want to have a whole-wheat starter, then simply feed the starter with whole-wheat instead of all-purpose at every feeding. Or, do the same with an ancient grain, such as einkorn.

Essentially, the starter will become whatever type of flour that it is fed with. (I.e. feeding your starter only rye flour will turn it into a rye sourdough starter.)

Make note to steer clear of gluten-free flour for your starter. It is possible to have a gluten-free sourdough starter, but the process is slightly different than other types of flour. So, I would recommend looking up a recipe specific to that type of flour if gluten-free starter is something that you are interested in.

How much flour and water should I feed my sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter needs be fed with equal parts water and flour by weight (typically in grams).

For example, if I feed my starter 50 grams of flour, I would also feed it 50 grams of water. I would do this by placing my jar of starter onto a food scale, pouring 50g of both water and flour into the jar, and then giving it a good stir until all of the lumps are (somewhat) gone. Then, I would cover the lid and set the jar aside until I am ready to use it!

What is a feeding ratio in sourdough?

Feeding ratios are essentially the ratio between the sourdough starter, water, and flour that was given at a feed.

A 1:1:1 ratio means that equal parts of starter, water, and flour are present. (i.e. 50 g starter, 50 g flour, 50 g water).

A 1:2:2 ratio means that for every one part starter, there are two parts flour & water present. (i.e. 50 g starter, 100 g flour, 100 g water).

A 1:3:3 ratio means that for every one part starter, there are two parts flour & water present. (i.e. 50 g starter, 150 g flour, 150 g water). And, so on.

A 1:1:1 ratio is considered to be a “lower hydration” ratio, which will result in a stiffer starter.

Meanwhile, a 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 (and up) ratio is considered to be a “higher hydration” ratio, which will result in a more hydrated and liquid starter.

If I’m being completely honest, I don’t pay much attention to ratios. As long as the starter is being fed with equal parts of water and flour, it will be alright.

The only time that I would recommend someone to pay attention to the ratio of their starter is if they are about to bake bread with a recipe that doesn’t use a levain. If this is the case, I would recommend at least a 1:1:1 feeding ratio before using the starter in the bread. This will help to ensure that the starter is strong enough to work with the bread.

How often should I feed my sourdough starter?

Many people will recommend feeding a sourdough starter every 12-24 hours. This will ensure that the starter stays strong and happy.

However, feeding a sourdough starter every day produces a lot of starter, which means a lot of waste for many homemakers.

It is important to feed your sourdough starter at least once a week (the yeast do need to survive somehow!)

Many people will recommend storing the starter in the fridge if it will only be fed once a week. Placing the starter in the fridge slows down the yeast, which results in the yeast “eating” slower (meaning that they can last longer in-between feedings).

And, I suppose that this is the thing to do if you want to “play it safe”.

However, I want you to know that I never store my starter in the fridge (even if I am only touching it once a week).

I will say that I’ll place my starter in the refrigerator if I am going to be away from home for a week or more, and I would recommend that everyone else does the same.

But, I have also completely ignored my sourdough starter for up to 3 weeks while simultaneously leaving it on the counter, and it was just fine.

Long story short, a starter should be fed at least once a week to keep it happy, but at the same time the yeast in a sourdough starter are more forgiving than they often receive credit for. So, if you choose not to refrigerate your starter, yet only use it once a week or less, the chances are that everything will be alright.

It is important to know, however, that it takes awhile for the yeast to get “back up to speed” when they are ignored for an extended period of time (5 days or more).

So, if you plan to use your starter after an extended period of time without feeding it, I do recommend giving the starter 2-3 good feeds (that are all about 12 hours apart) beforehand.

How do I know that my sourdough starter is ready for use?

When a sourdough starter is properly fed, it will begin to rise and it will produce a ton of tiny little bubbles.

This happens because the yeast in the starter recognize that there is new food, so they begin to eat. As the yeast eat, they begin to release a gas that produces a ton of tiny little bubbles. And, the gas (in combination with the growing number of yeast) is what helps the starter to rise.

Now, many sourdough enthusiasts teach that a starter is ready to use once it has doubled from it’s original size.

This is exactly how I thought that it had to be when I began my sourdough journey. And, it left me very confused and disappointed.

My sourdough starter never doubled in size. It would rise and produce lots of little bubbles, but it never doubled in size.

Eventually, I learned that a sourdough starter will only double in size if it is fed according to one of the ratios that I mentioned above.

So, while it may be true to look for your starter to double size, remember that it will only do this if it has been fed with at least a 1:1:1 ratio. Anything less than this, and the starter simply won’t double.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your starter always has to be fed according to a ratio or else it won’t rise!

If you don’t follow a ratio feeding, here are some good tell-tale signs that your starter is ready to use: it has 1) risen slightly, and 2) it is full of tinny little air bubbles that you can see from the top of your starter. (The starter is NOT ready for use if the tiny air bubbles are present on the inside of the starter, but not on the surface.)

Generally, I give my starter approximately 8 hours to reach it’s happy, rising, bubbly state. (I typically feed my starter before bed. Then, I assume that it will be ready to use when I wake up).

However, just like commercial yeast, the temperature will change the speed in which the starter becomes ready to use. This means that a hotter temperature will cause the yeast to “eat” faster. Therefore, the sourdough starter will be ready to use sooner. And, vice versa (a colder temp = a longer rising period).

If you recently received your starter, I encourage you to give yourself time to get used to how it rises. Feed your starter once or twice a day. During this time, make note as to when it rises and falls. And, make sure to check for those tiny little bubbles on the surface of the starter!

What are some important terms that I should know?

Ah, the beautiful and complex world of sourdough!

If you are completely new to the game, there may be a few terms that are new to you. (I know that I had to do my fair share of definition research when I was beginning my personal sourdough journey.)

So that, my friend, is what this portion is all about- catching you up on the sourdough lingo : )

What’s hooch?

Hooch is a thick yellowish (sometimes grayish/brownish) layer that develops on the top of a sourdough starter. Oh, and it is often accompanied by a very unpleasant, sour smell!

It looks concerning, but have no fear! Hooch is simply a byproduct of hungry yeast.

Hooch commonly develops on a starter after 2-3 days (sometimes faster if you live in a warmer climate). If you spot hooch on your starter, simply scrape it off of the starter and throw it away. Then, proceed with feeding the starter as normal.

Pro-tip: hooch can be helpful in the development of the taste of the starter! If you enjoy a rather “sour” taste to your sourdough treats, allow a good layer of hooch to develop on top of the starter before beginning the pre-baking feedings.

What’s sourdough discard?

Many sourdough recipes call for sourdough discard. And, this can confuse many new sourdough bakers (I know that it confused me!).

Sourdough discard is, essentially, any sourdough starter that has not been fed recently.

It is important for sourdough starter to be fed before putting it in certain recipes (such as many bread recipes) in order to strengthen the yeast before baking.

However, let’s say that you haven’t fed your starter in a few days and you want to do some baking with it right at this moment. Then, you can simply look for a discard sourdough recipe!

And, if you are using a sourdough discard recipe, that means that you don’t have to worry about feeding your starter beforehand (pretty easy, right?).

Sourdough discard recipes are great for using up any excess sourdough starter that you may have on hand! (Bonus: discard recipes are very easy to come by!)

Do I have to discard my sourdough starter?

Many sourdough enthusiast teach that proper feedings for a sourdough starter require discarding (throwing away) any excess/unwanted starter before each feeding.

i.e. : if there is 100 g sourdough starter, discard (throw away) 50 g starter. Then, feed the remaining starter with 50 g water and 50 g flour. This allows for a 1:1:1 ratio feeding.

So, discarding starter at every feeding can be helpful if you wish to feed the starter strictly by ratios.

If you are working with an immature starter, it is necessary to discard and feed based off of the ratios at every feeding. This is important for building up the strength of the starter.

However, it is not necessary to discard and strictly feed according to the ratios when working with a mature (well-established) sourdough starter. Instead, simply feed however much starter that is present with a small amount (i.e. 50 g) of water & flour.

If a sourdough starter is never being discarded, it can build up over time. If this is the case for you, I encourage you to limit waste by finding another use for the discard!

Some great options for using up discard would be using it in a discard recipe, composting it, or feeding it to livestock. (I have even heard that house plants and gardens love discard- if you are a little more daring : ) )

What other sourdough starter facts should I know?

How do I store a sourdough starter?

Sourdough starter is acidic, meaning that it will corrode reactive metals such as tin, copper, and aluminum. For this reason, it is best to store sourdough starter in a glass or plastic container.

Generally, sourdough starter is okay if it touches a reactive metal for a short period of time. This means that it is okay to stir your starter with a metal spoon or to even mix up dough in a metal container!

I would also like to point out that stainless steel is not a reactive metal. Therefore, stainless steel is the best choice if you wish to use any metal utensils or bowls.

Should I keep the sourdough starter’s container lid on tight?

Did you know that there is natural yeast living all around us in the air? Pretty cool, right?

Now, many people believe that the yeast in a sourdough starter comes from the yeast in the air. If this is correct, then it would be very important for the starter to receive airflow throughout the day (meaning that the lid should be loose fitting).

This is what I believed when I first began my sourdough journey. Then, I learned that this isn’t 100% correct.

Now, it’s not wrong! It’s just that there’s more to the story.

Yeast is not only found in the air, but it is also found in the jar, on utensils, and on the bakers hands. And, the most prominent place that yeast is found is in the flour! (Read more about it here.)

With that being said, it doesn’t really matter how the lid is kept on the starter’s container. The starter will do well with a lid that is tightly screwed on place or with a loose fitting lid (so long as there aren’t any little bugs around that would wind up in the starter).

Do I have to keep the sides of the jar wiped clean?

A sourdough starter container can look quite messy after a good feeding. And, people commonly ask me if it is necessary that they keep the sides of the container clean.

And, the answer is that it’s up to you!

Hooch will develop on the starter that remains on the inside of the jar. But, this shouldn’t cause any harm (it just doesn’t look pretty).

If the messy jar bothers you, you can either transfer the starter to a clean jar after each feeding or you may scrape off the starter that remains on the sides.

Note: if you choose to scrape off the excess starter, avoid using anything that is dirty and/or covered in chemicals (such as a paper towel or a used wash rag). These can allow icky things to end up in the starter that could end up harming/killing it. A clean spoon or rubber spatula is the best option.

How often should I change the sourdough starters container?

It’s the little things in life that make me happy. Such as, seeing my freshly fed starter in a new, clean mason jar.

However, it isn’t necessary to frequently change a starter’s container! Ultimately, it’s a personal preference.

Personally, I switch out my starter’s container once a thick layer of starter or hooch develops on the sides of the container (~every 2 weeks). But, I have also gone a month or more without switching it out.

So, this one is up to you! Change the container when it begins to look dirtier (or harder to clean) than you would like.

When does sourdough starter go bad?

Sourdough starter is almost impossible to kill. In fact, the only time that a starter would be considered “bad” is if a bad bacteria has developed in the starter.

However, there is bad bacteria that can develop in a starter (which makes it unsafe to use).

The presence of mold is the most reliable sign that bad bacteria has developed in the starter. If this is the case, the starter is no longer safe to use. It must be thrown away.

How can I tell the difference between mold vs hooch?

Texture and color is the biggest tell-tale sign of mold.

Hooch is typically brownish/grayish in color. It is never fuzzy and it can show up in liquid or solid form.

If there is anything fuzzy in the starter, consider it mold and throw it away. And, it’s best to discard the starter if there is any discoloration outside of the brown/gray color of hooch (such as a streak of green).

What things don’t make sourdough starter bad?

By now, I think that I’ve made it clear that sourdough starter can survive quite a bit. But, what exactly can it survive through?

1. Bugs. I know, it’s gross. But, it happens! Simply dig the bugs out, change the container, and feed/use the starter as usual. And, if this really grosses you out, know that high temperatures do a fantastic job at killing anything that’s unwanted in the dough : )
2. Neglect. I’ve heard of people going a year+ without touching their starters, and then successfully reviving them! Now, this doesn’t mean that you should neglect your starter. Just know that it’s okay if it happens.
3. Cold. Sourdough starter can survive in the freezer for a few days. However, if the idea is to save the starter for an extended period of time, it is best to dehydrate the starter instead of placing it in the freezer.

Why do the sourdough baked goods taste really sour?

The hungrier a sourdough starter is, the more sour it will taste.

So, if your baked goods are turning out more sour than you would like, give the starter more frequent feedings before mixing it into a dough.

And, this works vice versa! If you enjoy a sour bread, go as long as possible without feeding the starter before mixing it into the dough.

Example Feeding Schedule

Below, I have 2 example schedules- one for twice a week baking and one for once a week baking. However, keep in mind that these schedules are not hard and fast rules.

For example, one week you may want to bake once, so you follow the once a week baking schedule. Then the next you need to bake twice in a week, so you follow the twice a week schedule. But, then you go back down to the once a week schedule for a couple of weeks.

Or, maybe, over time you learn that your starter does better with more or less feeds before using it for baking. Or maybe you learn that your starter needs more flour and water at each feed!

The moral of the story is that these schedules are simply guidelines to help you begin your sourdough caretaking adventure. Follow these schedules to get into a rhythm and to learn the basics of sourdough baking. But, I encourage you to (slowly and over time) find out and implement what works the best for you!

Twice a Week Baking Schedule

• Day 1 (Monday): Feed the starter a minimum of 50 g flour & 50 g water.
• Day 2 (Tuesday) : Use the starter in a dough. Afterwards, feed the remaining starter 25 g flour & 25 g water. Then, leave it untouched in a dry spot at room temperature.
• Day 3 (Wednesday): No feedings necessary.
• Day 4 (Thursday): Feed the starter a minimum of 50 g flour & 50 g water.
• Day 5 (Friday): Use the starter in a dough. Afterwards, feed the remaining starter 25 g flour & 25 g water. Then, leave it untouched in a dry spot at room temperature.
• Day 6 (Saturday): No feedings necessary.
• Day 7 (Sunday): No feedings necessary.
• Repeat!

Once a Week Baking Schedule

• Day 1 (Monday): Remove the starter from the fridge. Feed it 25 g flour & 25 g water. Then, leave it untouched in a dry spot at room temperature.
• Day 2 (Tuesday) : Feed the starter 50 g flour & 50 g water. Leave it untouched in a dry spot at room temperature.
• Day 3 (Wednesday): Use the starter in a dough. Afterwards, feed the remaining starter 25 g flour & 25 g water. Then, place it in the fridge (not necessary, but recommended).
• Day 4 (Thursday): No feedings necessary.
• Day 5 (Friday): No feedings necessary.
• Day 6 (Saturday): No feedings necessary.
• Day 7 (Sunday): No feedings necessary
• Repeat!

This is overwhelming. Why am I doing it?

Learning something new always comes with a little bit of overwhelm- and sourdough is no exception!

It seems like a lot to learn at first. So, if you need to take breaks in your sourdough journey- well, that’s alright.

It actually took me a full year from when I created my sourdough starter to when I felt comfortable enough with it to use it for bread baking. So, if that’s you, don’t be ashamed!

However, if you are new to the game, don’t let that scare you off! Sourdough is a beautiful art, and it is really quite simple once you get the hang of it.

If you are feeling a little bit of beginners overwhelm, I would encourage you to begin by feeding your starter 50 g water & 50 g flour every day. As you do this, make note as to when your starter rises, when it falls, and how environmental factors affect it (such as temperature).

Take it one step at a time.; take your time; and, don’t give up!

Sourdough is a lovely journey. And, what better way is there to serve your family nourishing food than with a handmade loaf of bread in which you have poured your time, energy, and love into- all for the glory God!?

Happy baking, my friends! You’ve got this!