With this easy Sourdough Starter Recipe, you can make delicious Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Pancakes, waffles, pizza, pretzels, and more right at home. It’s easier than you think, and with just two ingredients—water and flour—it’s inexpensive to make Sourdough Starter from scratch.
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While you may have heard that making sourdough is a complex process that requires time, money, and an inherited starter—I’m here to tell you not to be intimidated. People have been doing this for thousands of years without fancy techniques or tools, and I’m going to teach you how to do it, too.
What is a Sourdough Starter?
It’s basically a fun at-home science experiment with a delicious result. Sourdough starter is wild yeast that is cultivated using water and flour and then used to make baked goods rise, like sourdough bread. It’s been around since before the Ancient Egyptians, and it was the only way to make leavened bread until active dried yeast became available in the 1800s.
While commercial yeast is faster to use since you don’t have to wait for the yeast to ferment, it won’t give you the great benefits of sourdough, the distinctive sour taste, or the same feeling of achievement!
Sourdough Starter Recipe Video
See Natasha create her own sourdough starter with just flour and water. With patience and consistency, it’s simple and fun. It’s so easy, so let’s start your sourdough journey now!
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
While the process sounds mysterious, it’s so simple. Watch our video tutorial to see our simple process in action. Ready? Let’s start growing some wild bacteria on our kitchen counter–err–let’s make sourdough starter!
The 3 Stages of Creating a Sourdough Starter
There are 3 basic steps to making your own sourdough starter. In this sourdough starter recipe, I don’t overcomplicate it because it’s truly a simple, forgiving process.
- Create – a medium for yeast and bacteria to thrive (water + yeast)
- Grow – Strengthen and build up population of yeast and bacteria with regular feedings
- Maintain a healthy starter with consistent daily feeding of flour
How long does it take to create a sourdough starter?
This sourdough starter recipe takes about one week of consistent feeding to nourish and strengthen the yeast, but these are a few of the factors that can change how fast your starter grows, so patience is also important (but so worth it):
- Room Temperature – 70 to 75˚F is ideal
- Flour type – start with whole wheat or rye flour and use all-purpose for feeding
- Water quality – use spring water, filtered or dechlorinated water
- Feeding schedule – be consistent
Tools for Making a Sourdough Starter
It’s simple to make a sourdough starter with just two tools.
- Clear Glass Jar – use a quart mason jar or 3/4 qt Weck Jar with loose-fitting lid. Thoroughly wash and rinse. A Weck Jar is my favorite because it weighs exactly 400 grams without the lid so the math is easy, and it has a loose-fitting lid which is important to prevent pressure build-up. You can also set a lid loosely over a mason jar.
- Digital kitchen scale – you can make a starter without a scale (I’ve included cup measurements) but your process and later bread-making will be so much faster, easier, and more precise with a scale that measures in grams. It’s worth the small investment now.
Pro Tip:
A rubber band or dry-erase marker makes it easier to track the starter’s starting point and feeding times. And a silicone spatula makes for the easiest cleanup.
Ingredients
There are only two ingredients for creating a sourdough starter: Flour and water. We use two different flours here, one to establish the starter and one to maintain it (see the explanation of flours above).
- Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour – organic is best, but regular Rye or Wheat will work as well. These sturdy, less processed grains create a stronger starter more quickly, but you don’t have to continue to bake with these flours.
- All-purpose flour – I prefer organic here as well and avoid bleached flour. After the wild yeast is established, this flour is used to maintain and feed the starter since is cheaper and what most people stock in their pantry
- Water – use room temperature filtered water, spring bottled water or dechlorinated water is needed since chlorine hinders yeast growth. To dechlorinate your water – boil and cool tap water, or leave a jug of water on the counter for a day to dechlorinate. If your house is cooler, use lukewarm water (not more than 85˚F). Avoid cold water which will slow the growth.
What is the best flour to create a sourdough starter?
To begin and establish a starter, use wholegrain rye flour and whole wheat flour – preferably organic. I have created starters with both and they grew equally well. See a photo of the difference below. In rye flour, the germ and bran haven’t been processed away as in all-purpose refined flour, so it gives more food for the wild yeast to eat.
I have tested creating a starter with all-purpose flour and it took 3 times as long to show bubbling activity. All-purpose is best used to grow and maintain your starter but you should initially start with rye or whole wheat flour.
How to Make a Sourdough Starter
It’s simple to make sourdough bread starter in just a few minutes each day. In most cases, you’ll be making bread in just a week!
Day 1: Make your Starter (Stage 1 – Create)
- Stop! Before you do anything, record the weight of your jar on a kitchen scale in grams on the jar with a permanent marker.
- Mix 100g (3/4 cup) Rye or whole wheat with 100g (1/2 cup) room temperature water into the glass jar. Once combined the mixture should be thick (rye flour is especially thick, like a sandy paste), but it will become thinner as the yeast breaks down the gluten. Scrape the sides of the jar.
- Cover the jar with a loose-fitting lid at room temperature for 24 hours. Mark the height of your starter with a rubber band or dry-erase marker and record the date.
Pro Tip:
The ideal room temp for growing sourdough starter is 70-75 degrees. Don’t be tempted to put your starter in a warm oven to speed it up. I tried that, and it grew too fast and exhausted my yeast so it stopped growing and I had to start over. Allowing the yeast to grow and develop slowly in the environment it will be used in is best.
Day 2: Check your Starter
- No Change – You probably won’t see anything changed. You may see some small bubbles, but leave it to rest for another 24 hours.
Day 3: Visible Bubbles (Stage 2 – Grow) and First Feeding
- Discard: Remove and throw away half of the starter (discard in the trash so it won’t clog your plumbing). You should have 100 grams or 1/2 cup remaining in the jar.
- Feed: Add 100g (3/4c) ALL PURPOSE FLOUR and 100g (1/2c) room temperature water.
- Mix the starter with the added flour/water until completely mixed. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides, then loosely cover and rest for another 24 hours.
Pro Tip:
If you don’t see visible bubbles it may be due to your environment, flour, or just plain luck. Discard and feed anyway to continue with the schedule. You may need to add a few extra days at the end to strengthen your starter, but that’s ok! Patience is key, so keep on the plan.
Day 4: Lots of bubbles
- Discard all but 100g of the starter.
- Feed: mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again
Pro Tip:
Some starters seem to slow down growth at this stage (called a false start) for seemingly no reason. This is normal, so just keep with the schedule.
Day 5: More bubbles and some growth
- Discard all but 100g of the starter
- Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape the sides, cover, and rest again
Day 6-7: Nearly doubling in size!
- Discard all but 100g of the starter
- Feed: Mix in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water
- Stir, scrape, cover, and rest until the starter has doubled in size. Continue this routine until the starter doubles in size in 4-6 hours, and then begins to recede after 12 hours. This means it’s probably ready to use!
Testing Sourdough Starter for Readiness
- Growth Rate: The Starter grows to more than double in size within 4 to 6 hours and recedes after 12 hours.
- Smell: The starter should smell good—like sourdough bread or like brewing yeast, have bubbles and a dome-shaped top
- Floats: Drop a bit of starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s ready to bake bread. Hooray!
Maintaining a Sourdough Starter (Stage 3: Maintain)
Once it passes the float test and your starter is established, you can feed it daily or weekly depending on how often you want to bake. See our detailed Tutorial on how to Feed and Maintain Sourdough Starter. You can even dry it out to take a months-long pause. This is great news because you can travel or pause without ruining your starter.
- Frequent baking: Store at room temperature. Begin daily discard and feeding schedule to keep the starter healthy and continue strengthening it (Discard all but 100g of the starter and Feed by mixing in 100g all-purpose flour and 100g room temperature water)
- Less frequent baking: Store in the refrigerator. Once a week, discard and feed then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before refrigerating. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.
Pro Tip:
Once your starter is mature, don’t throw away your sourdough discard. You can use it in recipes like Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Crackers, Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, and many other sourdough discard recipes.
Naming Your Sourdough Starter
Many people choose to name their sourdough starters. I loved my sister-in-law’s idea and copied it—Doughseph. After three years of making the dreamiest sourdough, he’s a part of the family.
Why Won’t my Sourdough Starter Rise?
It’s common to have a starter that isn’t ready by day 6 or 7. Keep feeding it for another week until you see it double and the texture is spongy and puffy with large and small bubbles. It should also smell sour and pleasant.
Sourdough is very forgiving so long as you don’t add hot water which kills the yeast. Just keep feeding it and discarding and it usually bounces back.
It’s easy to make sourdough bread at home using this simple sourdough starter recipe. Start today and you can enjoy a loaf of homemade bread in about a week!
More Bread Recipes
While your starter is growing, try these easy, beginner-friendly recipes to enjoy delicious bread made right at home.
Sourdough Starter Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 100 g Whole Grain Rye Flour or Whole Wheat Flour, preferably organic (100g = 3/4 cup)
- 500 g All-purpose flour – preferably organic and avoiding bleached flour, used to maintain and feed the starter
- 1 qt filtered water or spring water is even better*, room temperature
Instructions
Day 1 Make your Starter
- Record the weight of your jar in grams before you add anything and label the jar with your starting date for easier tracking.
- Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) whole wheat or rye flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) water. Stir together thoroughly with a fork (it will be very thick), scrape down the sides with a spatula. Cover with a loose-fitting lid and let it rest at room temperature for 24 hours*. Put a rubber band around your jar to mark the growth of your starter. Label the jar with a date to track.
Day 2: No Changes Noted
- Likely nothing is happening. You might see some tiny bubbles or it will look exactly the same. Let it rest for another 24 hours
Day 3 (stage 2) Visible Growth and Bubbles in Jar
- Remove and discard half of the starter in the trash so it does not affect the plumbing. You should have 100 grams (1/2 cup) of starter left. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room temp water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest at room temperature for 24 hours
Day 4 (72 Hours into the process): See a lot of bubbles
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours. Note: In a couple of my many tests, my starter seemed to slow down its growth on day 4 for no apparent reason. If that happens, just keep feeding it – it will turn back around.
Day 5: Visible growth and bubbles.
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest 24 hours.
Day 6-7: Your starter may double or more
- Remove and discard all but 100 grams of starter. Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) All-purpose flour and 100 grams (1/2 cup) room-temperature water. Stir thoroughly, scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely, and rest until more than doubled in volume.
Testing Your Starter
- When your starter is ready, it should peak between 4-6 hours and start to recede after 12 hours. It should smell sour and pleasant, drop a dollop of your starter into a bowl of water. If it floats, it’s healthy enough to use in recipes. If your starter isn’t ready by day 7, continue feeding it following this schedule. It may take a bit longer depending on many factors—such as the flour use and the environment.
How to Maintain your starter
- For frequent bakers: store at room temperature. Discard and feed every 24 hours. To use the starter, feed and wait for the starter to reach its peak, 4-6 hours then remove the portion needed for the recipe.
- For casual bakers (weekly): store in the fridge. Once a week, discard and feed the starter, then let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before returning it to the fridge. If baking, remove the starter from the fridge and bring to room temperature overnight. Discard and feed. When the starter reaches its peak, remove the portion needed for the recipe, then feed and refrigerate.
Notes
- Temperature is key: The room temperature will affect how quickly the starter develops. The ideal growing temperature is 68-75 degrees. a cold kitchen may take longer. For colder kitchens, consider storing in a warmer location or start with lukewarm 85˚F water.
- Use non-chlorinated water: Chlorine can hinder the growth of yeast and bacteria. Use filtered water or spring water for best results. To dechlorinate your water, you can boil and cool or set your water into a vessel and leave it on the counter for 1 day to naturally dechlorinate and come to room temperature.
- Consistency: try to feed your starter consistently at the same time each day.
- Patience is essential: Starters can vary in how quickly they develop, so don’t worry if yours takes a little longer. Don’t try to speed it along in too warm of an environment or you can exhaust your yeast.
Filed Under
Plz help. I began the starter process since July 23,2025. I did forgot to discarded the starter on the 3rd day, so I still followed the rest of the recipe on the 4th day as the 3rd day. By the 5th day, which would be the 6th day on your recipe if I didn’t missed a day earlier. Now we are already on the 10-11 day. My starter didn’t grow whatsoever. Does that mean I failed and have to restart the process? I mean when I am on the 7-8day (which will be 6-7day according to your recipe). The starter grow a bit and then it deflates and until now it hasn’t grow at al, but it does have nice sour dough smell. What can I do to repair it or redo the whole entire process again……
Hi Sophia, I’m so glad you asked, missing the discard one day won’t completely ruin it, but it can slow down the process a bit which is probably what you are experiencing, but it sounds like it is still alive since it has that nice sour dough smell. A few things I suggest, make sure your starter is kept in a room temperature warm spot between 75-80 degrees, if the kitchen or counter or cooler, it will slow down the process. You can also move to two feedings a day, about 12 hours apart, be sure to discard each time. Make sure your water is purified or spring water, and you can add whole wheat flour to give it a boost. I hope these tips are helpful.
Hi Natasha, Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I have a few questions if you could answer please:
1) You mentioned if storing the starter in the fridge and we want to bake, that we should leave it at room temperature overnight, feed, and take the amount we need when at its peak and then feed again. Why feed twice, once in the morning and once after taking the portion we need for baking?
2) If taking it out of the fridge just to feed- for the weekly feeding- do we not have to bring it to room temperature before feeding?
You can feed the second time before putting it in the fridge but you also don’t have to. I often put it back in the fridge when I’m done using it and leave it in there for a week until I’m ready to bake again. If you are taking it out of the fridge just to feed, you don’t have to bring it to room temperature before feeding, just feed and put it back in the refrigerator.
Hey Natasha, I’m trying out your recipe but used bleached flour. The starter started developing hooch. Can I switch to an unbleached flour on day 5 or do I need to start from scratch? Thank you
Hi Tiffany, for the best start, I would start over with unbleached. Everything I’ve read and researched recommends unbleached and organic is best if you can get it.
Hi Natasha, I am at day 3 of my starter (Bobbie Doughnero) and it hasn’t got bubbles but there appears to be some liquid sitting around the edge – should I discard the lot and start again?
Hi Marie, I love the name – very creative! I would keep discarding and feeding it daily and stay consistent with there, it sounds like it needs more time to mature. Be sure your temperature is optimal.
Hi Natasha 🙂
I’m on day 2 of my starter. There’s some bubbles but there’s also a thin layer of liquid on top of my starter, slightly brownish. I understand this to maybe be hooch. My question is, do I discard the hooch? Stir it back in? Do I still wait to feed my starter until day 3 like the directions said or should I discard half and feed with whole wheat flour again? Thank you! PS my husband and I love your borscht recipe and make it monthly!
Hi Lauren! Yes, you can stir it in, discard, and feed it now.
Hey Natasha! I made a mistake with my starter. It was going okay until I accidentally added my 100 grams of water and flour into the jar without discarding it (whoops) and I ended up mixing everything together and it wasn’t until after I weighed everything that I realized. What should I do now? Do I have to restart it or discard it like normal tomorrow?
Hi Shivane, no need to restart, I wouldn’t do this regularly, but go back to discarding and back to your normal feedback schedule for the next day. I hope this helps.
Day 2 my started grew really fast, I went to feed It day 3 and It had deflated. It’s watery on top but def has a not unpleasant odor. Is that ok? Do I need to restart or dump the watery part?
Hi there! In the beginning stages it can smell strong almost like acetone. It’s normal and this improves as it matures and turns into a more tangy and pleasant smell. As long as there
aren’t any signs of mold (fuzzy growths or colored spots/streaks) you can continue. Just discard and feed on a consistent schedule.
Hi Natasha, I am a first-timer with Sourdough and I have 2 starter questions. How do I know when the starter is mature so I can save the discards and once discarding, can I consolidate all discards going forward in the same covered jar or should I have a separate jar for each individual discard?
Thanks so much!
Dawn
Hi Dawn! Yes, you can combine the discard into one jar. Once your starter doubles in size within 4–6 hours of feeding, is consistently bubbly and active, and passes the float test that I mentioned above, it’s considered mature enough to both bake with and save discard.
Can’t wait to try… have time now as I have severe lung and heart issues and have had to retire. Are your books available in New Zealand please.
I hope you will be better. Regarding the cookbook, pls visit this blog post you will see options of different online shops that sell my cookbook. Hope that helps!
my starter almost doubled in size but leaving it on counter for another 24 hrs. Not too many bubbles. Is this right? Still thinking about the name to give my starter. I have been making sourdough bread for 4 yrs. but recently waited too long to feed it and lost it so starting over. PLEASE help me through this . Sandy
Hi Sandy. Yes, it’s normal. Your starter will usually double in size within 4-6hrs of feedings and then it will start to deflate. If your starter is new (not yet mature) keep discarding and feeding once a day until it is established. It will be ready to use when it’s consistently doubling in size after feeds (usually 7 days or more). Once it’s mature, you can use it to bake and you can move it to the refrigerator and feed it once a week to keep it alive. When using it in a recipe, you’ll feed it and use it at its peak (when it’s doubled in size 4-6 hrs after feeds).
Hi! My starter is a week old now and it has a few bubbles but it doesn’t really rise. It looks the same as it did, I don’t see any changes or progress. I fed it with whole wheat today hoping to give it a little boost but it still looks the same: à few bubbles but no rise. Is there anything you can recommend?
Hi Daria. Make sure to use unbleached flour and switch to filtered or spring water if you’re not already using this. Keep feeding with whole
wheat for a few more days and give it some time to establish. I would also check that your room temperature is 70-75 degrees. If it’s too cold, move it to a warmer spot.
Hi Natasha! I used rye flour and my starter doubled in size quickly after feeding on Day 3! It almost hit the top of the jar and I was concerned it might overflow. Texture wise, it looked much like your starter on Day 7 in your video. Floated, too. But it didn’t have a tangy sourdough smell. I figured it couldn’t possibly be ready to use in such a short time so I left it alone and it deflated. It’s now Day 5—it has a much stronger scent, a few small bubbles, but no real rise. Could my starter have been used on Day 3 or was it just a fluke? Should I start over or keep going w/ this one? Thanks much! 🙂
Hi Robin! That’s great. It sounds like it’s on the right track. Just keep going. It’s normal for it to have activity even early on but doesn’t have enough leaving strength to bake with.
Hi Natasha,
I started my sourdough starter (Pookie) last night at 8:15 PM. It’s now the next day at 5:33 PM, and it’s beginning to show some growth. Would it be alright to move Pookie into the oven with the light off? It stays much cooler in there than on my kitchen counter.
Thanks for your advice!
Hi Allison. Ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees. If your oven is a more consistent and reliable temperature than yes, it works great!
Thank you for responding. I made a mistake and had to put Pookie to sleep. I started another one and she’s doing well. Will keep you posted!
Hi Natasha!
I need some help :). I am on 2 1/2 weeks of trying to get my starter going. It’s rising after 10-13 hours but not doubling. It is in a fermenting box at a constant temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. I’ve been using filtered water and making sure it’s around 24 degrees as well. Should I keep going or try something different? I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong or why it’s taking a while (this is also my third attempt but first time using your recipe).
Thank you so much!
Hi Natalia! What kind of flour are you using? I don’t recommend using bleached flour. You can feed with some whole wheat or rye flour for a couple of days to give it a boost. If it’s thin or watery, you can make a thicker paste using less water. It should be like thick pancake batter. Give it a little more time and this should help.
Thank you so much for your reply! I’m using non bleached organic flour. At the moment it’s a thick paste. I’ll definitely try with the rye flour and see how it goes! 🙂
Hi Natasha!
2nd day feeding it with rye flour and it’s not only doubling but tripling by the 4-6 hour mark. What should I do next? Keep feeding it with rye flour or change to white flour?
Thank you so much!
Hi Natalia! That’s great. You can switch back to all purpose flour. The whole wheat/rye flour just helps give it the boost it needs when it’s sluggish.
My starter tripled and quadrupled on day too after feeding.
I live in the tropics. I tried cooling it in air-conditioning, but as I don’t have the ac OM all the time ….
Is still going to be OK to feed tomorrow?
Hi Erika! In a warm and humid climate, your starter is going to ferment faster and will require more frequent feeds. Instead of feeding every day, you may need to feed it twice a day or every 8-12hrs to stay healthy. Starters do best in consistent temperatures. Ideally you want 70-75 degrees. You can also feed with colder water, which will help slow down activity.
Hi Anson, the starter should be ribbon thin when it’s stirred. As long as you are using equal weights of starter, flour and water, the proportions should be correct.
Hi Natasha ,
This might be a weird question lol but can I freeze my starter until I’m ready to use it again .?
Hello there! Yes, you can freeze the sourdough starter but take note that freezing it sends it to hybernation so it will slow fermentation. You can use airtight containers or freezer bags, flatten them to remove air, and label with the date. When you’re ready to bake again, thaw slowly—first in the fridge, then at room temperature .
The middle of day two and my starter has doubled and is bubbly. Should I still wait until day 3 to feed?
Hi Angela! That can happen, especially if you’re in a humid/warm climate or your room temperature is on the warm side. You can discard and feed or wait for day 3. If it continues to ferment too fast, move it to a cooler spot so it doesn’t exhaust the yeast. Or you can feed it more often.
Hi Natasha. The few days I continued to fed my starter with whole wheat and all-purpose flour. The past few days, it fed it with equal parts (50 g each) of whole wheat and all-purpose flour and it hasn’t doubled in size. Today, yesterday and the day before, I fed it with whole wheat and all-purpose flour (143 g of whole wheat flour and 56 g of all-purpose flour) and it still hasn’t doubled in size. Is there something wrong with my sourdough starter?
When I fed it today and the past few days, there was some bubbles and risen a bit, but not doubled in size. What did I do wrong?
I’ve been feeding my starter for 2 weeks now and my starter hasn’t doubled in size yet.
Hi Anson. It sounds like there is some activity, just not enough to bake with.
To feed the stater, you need to discard all except 100g. Then you’ll feed it with 100g of flour and 100g of water. Make sure to unbleached flour. If you’re not already, try using filtered or dechlorinated water.
The temperature of your room is also very important. Starters thrive between 70-80 degrees (I keep mine between 70-75). If it’s too cold it will be slow, if it’s too warm it will ferment too fast and eventually die.
These are the most common reasons for your starter not getting stronger. Be sure to keep it somewhere that the temperature is consistent If the temperature is fluctuating (goes from hot to cold), the starter will struggle more.
I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, I fed it this morning and the past few days with whole wheat and all-purpose flour. I’ve been using filtered and microwaved it so it’s around 28 degrees C and this morning and yesterday I used room temperature spring water.
I used just all all-purpose flour, but found that it was taking a long time for it to double in size, so you told me to switch to whole wheat and all-purpose flour mix instead. I’ve been keeping it in my countertop. My countertop was cold some days the past week and this week, my countertop was warm. The last few times, I kept it on my window sill, but was too hot and exhaust the yeast, so I kept it on my countertop instead.
Should I throw out my starter and restart it? It’s been almost 3 weeks and nothing is happening. I GIVE UP, VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!!!
Hi Anson, I’m sorry to hear it’s been such a frustrating experience. It sounds like a stable temperature might be your biggest issue. here are some tips: Keep your starter around 24–26 °C (try inside your oven), Feed twice daily: equal weights of starter, water, and flour (feed with all-purpose since there’s probably plenty of food in there for the yeast allready), Discard half before each feed.
Use the same filtered room temperature water every time. Give it a few more days. If there’s still no bubbles, start fresh with 50 g flour + 50 g water and follow the same routine. You’ve got this!
At around day 5, my starter has gone quite runny, almost like pancake batter. Any suggestions for getting it back on track?
Hi Sarah, Was it runny initially when you first mixed it on day one? If so, I would check to make sure your food scale is properly working. Using a food scale is the most precise way to measure. Environment/climate could also play a role, if you live in a warm and humid area it will be more hydrated and ferment faster. It should be like a thicker pancake batter consistency when you feed it.
If your starter continues to be runny, you can try feeding with a little less water but early on, it’s not abnormal for it to be thinner or inconsistent. Keep feeding on a regular schedule, and it should thicken as it matures.
Also- ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees so if your room is warmer than this, it may ferment too fast and require more frequent feedings, feeding with more flour and less water, or need to be moved to a cooler spot.
No it wasn’t runny in the beginning, it just seems to gradually get runnier each day. It does seem to be rising but not quite like in your pictures. This is my second attempt as my first attempt failed. I think that was due to it being too hot in kitchen so my second attempt I have moved to another room that is cooler. While the second attempt has not got to the stage as being as runny as the first, or getting the layer of hooch that I got the first time, I feel like it is a day or two from getting as runny. I’m using digital scales so don’t think that’s the issue and don’t think the room temperature is the issue either. How much water would you suggest if I try to do less? I’m potentially being impatient, it has been known! Thank you!
I would use enough water to be able to mix it, but make a thicker pancake batter consistency. You can try 80g of water to 100g starter and 100g flour. Yes, patience is key! If you’re consistent and following the recommended steps, you should have a mature and healthy stater very soon. Just keep at it, sometimes it can take a little while longer than a week for the stater to establish. You could also try feeding with whole wheat or rye flour for a couple of feeds to help give it a boost. Also- switch to filtered or spring water if you’re using tap water.
I will keep going for sure! Thank you so much, really appreciate the help and advice