How to Feed, Maintain, and Store a Sourdough Starter
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In this guide, I share everything you need to know about buying, feeding, maintaining, and storing a healthy sourdough starter. Below you will find video guidance and step-by-step instructions. Letβs go!
If you are interested in dipping your toe into sourdough bread baking, for starters you need a starter (π). In this sourdough starter guide I share my tips for:
- Buying a sourdough starter online
- Activating a sourdough starter
- Feeding a sourdough starter
- Maintaining a sourdough starter
- Storing a sourdough starter
- Knowing when a sourdough starter is bad
Although building a sourdough starter from scratch is very gratifying, I am a huge proponent of purchasing a starter. I outline why in more detail here β Sourdough Focaccia: A Beginner’s Guide β but in short, it’s because:
- If youβre curious about sourdough, get to it! Making a starter from scratch can take weeks.
- Theyβre relatively cheap (or free if you get one from a friend or baker).
- A purchased starter potentially will be stronger/more active than a young, homemade starter.
- Before you spend weeks making a starter, find out if you like the process β again, a purchased starter allows you to get straight to it.
Where to Purchase a Sourdough Starter
I have had success purchasing and activating sourdough starters from three places:
- Breadtopia ($9)
- King Arthur Flour ($9)
- Cultures for Health ($11)
Each place offers guidance for “activating” the starter. Breadtopia’s instructions live on its website. King Arthur Flour sends along a booklet with details, but also provides online help. Cultures For Health offers video guidance here.
In short, to “activate” each, you simply add flour and water, stir, and wait β that’s all there is to feeding a sourdough starter.
How to Activate a Sourdough Starter
A purchased starter generally arrives in a small bag or container. I’ve created a short video for activating a King Arthur Flour sourdough starter. You can use this same process for activating a Breadtopia starter as well:
Follow these steps to activate it:
- Place starter in a vessel. I love these deli quart containers for this purpose.
- Add 45 g each of all-purpose flour (organic if possible) and room-temperature water. (Note: The consistency should look like a thick batter.)
- Wait. You may see bubbles and action (rising!) in as few as 6 hours; it may take more like 18 to 24 hours. Variables include the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, the temperature of your water, how much water and flour you used, etc.
- When the starter has roughly doubled in volume, it’s likely ready to go. Drop a spoonful of it in a glass of water. If it floats, you’re ready!
- If it doesn’t float after 24 hours, add more flour and water (equal parts), stir again, and wait.
- If you aren’t seeing any action after another 12 hours, discard most of it, and add more flour and water (equal parts), stir, and wait. Just be patient. Before you know it, your starter will be rising and bubbling and ready to go.
How to Feed A Sourdough Starter
If your starter floats, and you’re ready to start baking, measure the required amount into a bowl and proceed with the recipe. Here are three great beginner’s sourdough recipes:
- Simple Sourdough Focaccia: A Beginner’s Guide
- Simple Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Favorite, Easy Sourdough Bread (Whole Wheat-ish)
If you’re not ready to bake, discard most of it, add an equal amount of flour and water (45 g each or so), stir it together, cover it, and stash in your fridge.
My preferred storage vessel is a deli quart container. When I store my starter in the fridge, I use the lid that comes with the quart container. When I feed my starter and let it sit at room temperature, I use a breathable lid.
From here on out, you’ll need to feed it roughly once every two weeks β I’ve left it for as long as three-four weeks without a feeding, and it has been fine, but I don’t recommend waiting that long in between feedings.
Here’s the play-by-play:
1. Place the vessel holding your starter on a scale, and add 45 g flour:
2. Add 45 g water:
3. Stir together and mark the top of the mixture with a rubber band:
4. Wait until the starter doubles or nearly doubles:
5. Test it! If it floats, you’re good to go!
Before long, you’ll get the hang of your starter’s rhythm: how it rises and falls, how it behaves when you feed it more regularly, how it behaves when you neglect it, how it smells at various stages, etc.
When you’re ready to bake, the goal is to “catch” the starter at its peak (i.e. at its doubling point, when you see lots of bubbles covering the surface) β this is when it is the strongest/most alive. If you miss the opportunity, and the starter collapses, don’t despair: simply discard some of it (or don’t), and feed it again with equal parts flour and water by weight, stir, and set it aside to rise again.
Maintaining a Sourdough Starter
- Something that deterred me from sourdough for a long time is the waste element: I hated discarding so much and “feeding” so much. I’ve learned over time that there are ways to keep your starter on the lean side to reduce the waste factor. Here’s how:
- After I use my starter for a bread recipe, I do one of two things:
- If there is a fair amount of starter left (a half cup or 100 g), I simply stir it up, cover it, and stash it in the fridge.
- If there are only a few tablespoons of starter left, I like to replenish it with a very small amount of flour and water (45 g of each). Once I add the flour and water and stir it all together, I cover the vessel, and stash it in the fridge.
- Every time I use it or feed it, I discard most of it, and feed it with equal amounts by weight water and flour.
- When life gets in the way, and I canβt find time for sourdough, I tend to it every 2-3 weeks by discarding most of it, and feeding it with 45 g each flour and water.
Storing a Sourdough Starter
If you are not baking regularly, store your starter in the fridge.
As noted above, my preferred storage vessel is a deli quart container. When I store my starter in the fridge, I use the lid that comes with the quart container. When I feed my starter and let it sit at room temperature, I use a breathable lid.
Ideally, strive to feed your starter roughly once a week or every two weeks if you are not finding time to bake regularly. If you are baking regularly, feeding your starter once a week will be a natural part of your baking rhythm. If you are looking for ideas for what to do with the discard, try these sourdough flour tortillas or make peasant bread as outlined in this troubleshooting post.
As noted above, I’ve left my starter for as long as three to four weeks in the fridge without feeding it, and it has “awakened” beautifully, though I don’t recommend, if you can help it, waiting that long in between feedings.
How to Tell if Your Starter is Healthy
If you are just getting started with sourdough, it may be hard to “read” the various smells of your starter. Depending on what “phase” a starter is in β i.e. freshly fed or neglected for weeks in the fridge β it can smell anywhere from stinky and acidic to fresh and sweet.
Don’t be alarmed if your starter, upon pulling it from the fridge, smells a little funky. It might smell like alcohol or, as one commenter noted: dirty socks. As soon as you discard most of this sharp-smelling starter and feed it with equal parts flour and water, the aroma will instantly change. As your starter rises and approaches a doubling point, it should smell fresh and sweet.
You know you have a healthy starter when it β¦
- β¦ doubles in volume within 4 to 6 hours (roughly) of feeding it.
- β¦ floats when you drop a spoonful of it in water.
So how do you know if your starter is bad? When …
- … you see mold.
- … it doesn’t rise or is slow to rise after a feeding.
Unfortunately, if you see mold in your starter, you probably should toss it, and start over. Alternatively, you could scrape off the moldy bits, transfer a few tablespoons of what looks healthy (not moldy) to a clean jar, and feed it with equal parts flour and water.
If your starter is not doubling in volume within 4 to 6 hours of a feeding you should spend a few days strengthening it. This is what I always recommend:
- Be aggressive with how much of it you are discarding: throw away most of it, leaving behind just 2 tablespoons or so. Feed it with equal parts by weight flour and water. Start with 40 g of each or so.
- Use water that youβve left out overnight to ensure any chlorine has evaporated. (This isnβt always necessary, but it might make a difference.)
- Buy spring or distilled water. In some places, letting water sit out overnight will not be effective, and your tap water may kill your starter.
- Feed your starter with organic flour or a small amount of rye flour or stone-milled flour (fresh or locally milled if possible). My store sells 2-lb. bags of King Arthur Flour organic all-purpose flour for $3.49 β I use it exclusively for feeding my starter.
- Once you feed your starter, cover the vessel with a breathable lid, and leave it alone at room temperature. After 6 hours (more or less), repeat the process: discard most of it and feed it with 40 g each flour and water.
Once you have a strong starter on hand β one that is doubling in volume within 4 to 6 hours β you can bake with it (using it at its peak doubling point) or stash it in the fridge. When you feed your starter, place a rubber band around the vessel to mark the starterβs height, which helps gauge when it has doubled
Questions? Thoughts? Shoot!
PrintHow to Feed, Maintain, and Store a Sourdough Starter
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: 1 cup
Description
Where to Buy a Sourdough Starter
I have had success purchasing and activating sourdough starters from three places:
- BreadtopiaΒ ($9)
- King Arthur Flour ($9)
- Cultures for Health ($11)
As with all sourdough bread baking (and all baking in general), you will have the best results if you measure with a digital scale. The amount of starter you start with is not really important here. What is important is that you feed your starter with equal parts by weight flour and water β this is called a 100% hydration starter, and it is what many sourdough bread recipes, including all of the ones on this site, call for.Β
Flour
If you can find King Arthur Flour organic all-purpose flour at your local supermarket, buy that. Organic flour or a little bit of freshly milled flour will help your starter thrive.Β
Water
I always use tap water that I’ve left to sit out overnight, which ensures any chlorine has evaporated. In some places, letting water sit out overnight will not be effective, and your tap water may kill your starter. If you are unsure about your water, consider buying a gallon of spring water to use exclusively for feeding your starter until you get the hang of the process.Β
Ingredients
- 45 grams (or more or less) sourdough starter, see notes above
- 45 grams flour, see notes above
- 45 grams water, see notes above
Instructions
To Activate Your Sourdough Starter:
- Place starter in a vessel. I love these deli quart containers for this purpose.
- Add 45 g each of all-purpose flour and room-temperature water. (Note: The consistency should look like a thick batter.)
- Wait. You may see bubbles and action (rising!) in as few as 6 hours; it may take more like 18 to 24 hours. Variables include the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, the temperature of your water, the type of flour you are using, etc.
- When the starter has roughly doubled in volume, it’s likely ready to go. Drop a spoonful of it in a glass of water. If it floats, you’re ready!
- If it doesn’t float after 24 hours, add more flour and water (equal parts), stir again, and wait.
- If you aren’t seeing any action after another 12 hours, discard most of it, and add more flour and water (equal parts), stir, and wait. Just be patient. Before you know it, your starter will be rising and bubbling and ready to go.
To Feed Your Sourdough Starter:Β
-
Place the vessel holding your starter on a scale, and add 45 g flour:
2. Add 45 g water:
3. Stir together and mark the top of the mixture with a rubber band:
4. Wait until the starter doubles or nearly doubles:
5. Test it! If it floats, you’re good to go!
How to Maintain Your Sourdough Starter:
- After I use my starter for a bread recipe, I do one of two things: If there is a fair amount of starter left (a half cup or 100 g), I simply stir it up, cover it, and stash it in the fridge. But if there are only a few tablespoons of starter left, I like to replenish it with a very small amount of flour and water (45 g of each).Β Once I add the flour and water and stir it all together, I cover the vessel and stash it in the fridge.
- Every time I use it or feed it, I discard most of it and feed it with equal amounts by weight water and flour.
- When life gets in the way, and I canβt find time for sourdough, I tend to it every 2-3 weeks by discarding most of it and feeding it with 45 g each flour and water.
To Store Your Sourdough StarterΒ
If you are not baking regularly, store your starter in the fridge.Β
My preferred storage vessel is a deli quart container. When I store my starter in the fridge, I use the lid that comes with the quart container. When I feed my starter and let it sit at room temperature, I use a breathable lid.
Ideally, strive to feed your starter roughly once a week or every two weeks if you are not finding time to bake regularly. If you are baking regularly, feeding your starter once a week will be a natural part of your baking rhythm. If you are looking for ideas for what to do with the discard, try these sourdough flour tortillas or make peasant bread as outlined in this troubleshooting post.
Note: I’ve left my starter for as long as three to four weeks in the fridge without feeding it, and it has “awakened” beautifully, though I don’t recommend, if you can help it, waiting that long in between feedings.
- Category: Bread
- Method: Sourdough
Keywords: sourdough, starter, feed, maintain, store, activate
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
106 Comments on “How to Feed, Maintain, and Store a Sourdough Starter”
Have loved your site! Wonderful recipes and great information on sourdough starters.
I have a question in regards to my starter, newbie here, Iβve been feeding my starter on a regular basis according to your instructions. I have finally used it to make some bread but what do I do now? Do I feed it and store it back in the fridge? Do I just stick it back in the fridge and not worry about feeding till later?Β
Any help is appreciated, thanks!!
★★★★★
Hi Amber! Great to hear this. Yes, store it in the fridge. Depending on how much starter you have on hand, this is what I suggest:
After I use my starter for a bread recipe, I do one of two things: If there is a fair amount of starter left (a half cup or 100 g), I simply stir it up, cover it, and stash it in the fridge.
But if there are only a few tablespoons of starter left, I like to replenish it with a very small amount of flour and water (45 g of each). Once I add the flour and water and stir it all together, I cover the vessel and stash it in the fridge.
Every time I use it or feed it, I discard most of it and feed it with equal amounts by weight water and flour.
When life gets in the way, and I canβt find time for sourdough, I tend to it every 2-3 weeks by discarding most of it and feeding it with 45 g each flour and water.
Does that make sense? Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hello Ali,
I have made a couple loaves of sourdough bread. One recipe was 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 bread flour. It was ok. I also made one with all bread flour and that was good but didnβt rise as much as I wouldβve liked. My question is βCan I use whole wheat starter but bread flour to make my dough. Does it matter other than to personal tasteβ? My whole wheat starter seems much heartier.
ThankYou,
Jill K
Hi Jill! Yes, absolutely, you can use a whole wheat starter for a recipe made with bread flour. If you haven’t checked out this troubleshooting post, it might help you identify your troubles.
Thank you for the information! Iβve had my starter going for nearly a month now but I think sometimes itβs not strong enough…I feed it once every 24 hours and only ever keep it on the kitchen counter. Some people have told me to feed it only every 48hrs.Β
So if I follow your advice and feed every 6 hours, Iβm confused about what to do at night…just put it in the fridge?
★★★★★
Hi Stephanie,
There are lots of ways to go about it, but the first thing I’ll ask is: how much are you discarding before you feed it? If you are not discarding most of it, leaving just a few tablespoons of it behind, that’s where I would start. Once you get to a place where your starter is doubling in volume after a feeding within 6 to 8 hours (or even 12), then you can stash it away in the fridge for weeks.
Hi Ali,
Thanks for your course and also for your dedication to bvreadmaking ))))
Yet, I am committed to do my own starter! Could you share your recipe please? I have tried to do it before but it wasnΒ΄t properly rising and also it gained a kind of acidic liquid on the top – which later I found out it was a sign of hungry starter – and it was creating a sticky dough.
Thanks,
Hi Alla! I am still in the process of getting my recipe together and in a blog post. My basic process is simple: mix together equal parts by weight flour and water and let it sit for 48 hours. Then, discard most of it, leaving behind 50 grams, and feed it with fresh flour and water by weight (75 g each). Repeat this process for 5 to 7 more days. If you can get your hands on organic flour or a little stone-milled flour, use it to feed your starter. Spring water may help, too.
I used a sourdough starter recipe from a different site but it stopped rising. How do I strengthen it?
Hi Erica,
The best thing to do is to discard most of it and to then feed it with equal parts by weight flour and water.
I offer more details on how to strengthen it in this post: Why is my sourdough so sticky? 4 Common Sourdough Mistakes + Answers to FAQβs
Hello! Iβm really enjoying your sourdough guides and recipes! I have had a starter for almost a year now, and itβs pretty happy and healthy. Iβm using organic sprouted whole wheat flour and itβs very bubbly, strong and delicious! My question is that when I feed it before baking it always doubles or more in size with lots of bubbles but it fails the float test. I have been baking with it anyway and the bread turns out great. But I donβt know why the starter wonβt float. Also how many times and days in advance should I feed/ bulk up my starter after I take it out of the fridge before I bake with it? (Iβm baking a loaf once a week.)
Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Hi Sophia! Thank you π
If you are having success with your starter but it isn’t floating, don’t worry at all: keep doing what you are doing. A better/more reliable test than the float test is how quickly your starter doubles or triples in volume after a feeding, and it sounds as though your starter is doubling in a timely manner. Part of me wonders if the reason it isn’t floating has to do with the whole wheat flour. As an experiment, you could try making an offshoot of your starter using organic all-purpose flour or bread flour and see if that floats.
I think you can get away with feeding your starter one day in advance. So, if you want to mix a batch of dough on a Wednesday, feed your starter once either later Tuesday evening, so it’s ready by Wednesday morning. Or, better: feed it once Tuesday morning, then again Tuesday evening. OR: once Tuesday any time, then again on Wednesday morning.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, I appreciate your guidance and suggestions! I have made your sourdough loaf and focaccia recipes a few times now and they are the best breads Iβve ever made! Each time I make them, and refine my technique, they get better and better! Such magic that time and a few simple ingredients can make delicious bread!Β
π§‘
★★★★★
So true Sophia! I am constantly amazed how flour, water, and salt can combine to form something so incredibly delicious and satisfying. Thanks so much for writing!
First 2 times were great. Then I left the starter for a week. Didn’t refresh it enough. Tried the refrig proof. Do you need to let the dough warm to room temp before baking?
★★★★★
Hi Toby! No need to let the dough come to room temperature first. After 18-24 hours in the fridge, the dough is ready to go!
Hello- Β Question. You have moved from a 100% rise on your first proofing to a 50% rise. Any particular reason? Second, have you tried different cultures? I have wondered about different sourness levels.
I bought your book sometime ago. Then I found your website. You have put a lot of work into one of the best sites on the web for foodies. Much valuable information on sourdough.Great photography and layout.
Β I really like the piano practice in the background. Some of my favorite childhood tunes.
Hi Don! Thanks so much for writing and for your kind words. So nice to hear all of this.
OK, yes, I now advise people to end their bulk fermentation when the dough increases in volume by 50%. The reason is that for many people, when they let the dough increase in volume by 100%, it’s often too much, and when it increases this much, the dough over ferments and then loses all structure and strength.
All of this said: if you have success with your dough increasing in volume by 100%, by all means keep doing it. (I have had dough triple in volume and be just fine.)
I think starters play a role here, of course, too, and so for some people given their starter, a 50% increase in volume is best, but for others a bigger (or smaller) increase in volume is best.
I think sourdough is all about experimenting and finding what works best for you in your environment, given your starter and the flour you are using.
Hope that clarifies!
Regarding other starters, no, I haven’t really experimented with other cultures. I’m currently using a starter that I activated from King Arthur Flour several years ago.
Let me know if there is anything else!