I almost threw my first sourdough starter in the trash. No joke. On day three it smelled like old gym socks and I was convinced I had created a monster in a jar.
But I stuck with it, and I’m so glad I did. I’m going to show you how to make your own bubbly, active sourdough starter from scratch, and we’re going to skip all the panic. This guide will hold your hand the whole way, so you end up with a starter you can use for amazing bread, pancakes, and more.
It’s just flour and water, after all. You can totally do this.
What You’ll Need
This is the easy part. You only need two things to get started, but the type of flour you use at the beginning really does matter. We’re talking about creating life here, so give it the good stuff.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whole Wheat Flour | 1 cup (120g) |
| Water (lukewarm) | ½ cup (120g) |
A Quick Note on Ingredients
You might be tempted to just use regular all-purpose flour. You can, but whole wheat or rye flour has more of the natural yeasts and microbes we need to get this party started. It’s like giving your new pet a super-healthy first meal.
Also, about the water. If your tap water has a strong chlorine smell, let it sit out on the counter for a few hours before you use it, or just use filtered water. Chlorine can be a little tough on the baby yeasts we’re trying to grow.
Tools of the Trade
You don’t need a fancy science lab to make a starter. You probably already have everything you need sitting in your kitchen right now.
| Tool | Why You Need It |
|---|---|
| Kitchen Scale | Non-negotiable |
| Glass Jar (32 oz) | To see the bubbles |
| Silicone Spatula | For easy mixing |
| A Loose Lid | Or a coffee filter |
Seriously, get a kitchen scale. Measuring by weight (grams) instead of volume (cups) is the single biggest secret to success in sourdough. Flour can be packed down or fluffed up, but 120 grams is always 120 grams. This takes all the guesswork out of it.
Let’s Make a Starter: The Day-by-Day Plan
This is a week-long project, but the hands-on time each day is maybe two minutes. Think of it like a very, very low-maintenance pet.
Day 1: The Big Mix
Step 1: Grab your clean glass jar. Put it on the kitchen scale and hit the “tare” or “zero” button.
Step 2: Add 120g of whole wheat flour to the jar. Then, zero out the scale again and add 120g of lukewarm water.
Step 3: Mix it all up with your spatula until there are no dry bits of flour left. It should look like thick, sticky paste. Scrape down the sides of the jar so it’s mostly clean.
Step 4: Loosely cover the jar. Don’t screw the lid on tight—gases need to escape. Just set the lid on top, or use a coffee filter with a rubber band. Put it somewhere warm-ish in your kitchen, like on top of the fridge. Now, walk away. See you tomorrow.
Day 2: Patience is a Virtue
Step 1: Just look at your starter. Seriously, that’s it. You might see a bubble or two, you might not. It might smell a little bit like flour and water. Don’t do anything else. Go read a book.
Day 3: The First Feeding
This is where things get interesting. Your starter might have a few bubbles and might smell a little tangy, or maybe even a bit funky. This is all normal.
Step 1: Stir your starter down. It might have gotten a little puffy.
Step 2: Remove and throw away about half of it. I know, this feels wrong. But you have to do it. We need to make room and concentrate the good stuff. This is called “discarding.”
Step 3: Place the jar back on the scale and zero it out. Add 120g of whole wheat flour and 120g of lukewarm water.
Step 4: Mix it all together, scrape down the sides, and cover it loosely again. Put it back in its warm spot.
Day 4, 5, and 6: The Routine
Now we’re just going to repeat what we did on Day 3. You’re going to do this every day, roughly at the same time.
Step 1: Observe your starter. Is it bubbly? Does it smell yeasty and sour, kind of like beer? These are good signs.
Step 2: Discard about half of the starter.
Step 3: Add 120g of whole wheat flour and 120g of lukewarm water.
Step 4: Mix, scrape, cover, and wait.
(A little heads up: Sometime around Day 4 or 5, your starter might stop being active or develop a weird smell. People call this the “funky stage.” It might smell like vinegar, or even old cheese. Don’t give up! This is totally normal. The good bacteria are fighting it out with the bad ones, and the good guys are about to win.)
Day 7: Are We There Yet?
By now, your starter should be getting predictable. A few hours after you feed it, it should start to grow, get bubbly, and roughly double in size. It should smell pleasantly sour and yeasty.
If it’s doing all of these things, congratulations! You have a sourdough starter. It’s ready to bake with when it’s at its “peak,” which is its highest point of rising before it starts to fall again.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
I’ve made a lot of mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are a few things that make a huge difference.
- Mark the Jar: After you feed your starter, put a rubber band or a dry-erase marker line at the level of the starter. This lets you easily see how much it has risen. It takes the guesswork out of knowing if it’s active.
- Temperature Matters: Yeast likes to be warm, but not hot. A cozy room temperature (around 75°F or 24°C) is perfect. If your kitchen is cold, your starter will be slow and sluggish. You can stick it in the oven with the light on (but the oven off!) to give it a little boost of warmth.
- The Float Test: Not sure if your starter is ready to bake bread? Take a small spoonful of it (when it’s at its peak and bubbly) and drop it into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s full of gas and ready to go. If it sinks, it probably needs another feeding or a little more time.
- Don’t Throw Away the Discard!: That stuff you throw out before each feeding is liquid gold. You can collect it in a separate jar in the fridge for a week. Use it to make incredible pancakes, waffles, crackers, or even pizza dough. It adds an amazing tangy flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
Sourdough is pretty flexible once you get the hang of it. Here are some ways to change things up.
Flour Swaps
Once your starter is strong and active (after about two weeks), you can start feeding it with different flours.
- All-Purpose Flour: Feeding with white flour will give you a milder-tasting starter, which is great for things other than bread.
- Bread Flour: This will give your starter a little extra strength because of the higher protein content.
- Rye Flour: Rye ferments very quickly. A little rye flour in your feedings can make your starter super active, but it can also make it a bit more sour.
To switch flours, just start using the new flour during your regular feedings. Easy as that.
Storing Your Starter for the Long Haul
You don’t have to feed your starter every single day forever. Once it’s well-established (a few weeks old and very predictable), you can stick it in the fridge.
Step 1: Feed your starter like normal. Let it sit on the counter for an hour or two.
Step 2: Put the lid on tightly and place it in the refrigerator. This will slow down the fermentation way, way down.
Step 3: You only need to feed it about once a week. To do this, take it out of the fridge, discard about half, and feed it like you normally would. Let it sit on the counter for a few hours to get active again before putting it back in the cold.
When you want to bake, take it out of the fridge a day or two before. Feed it once or twice on the counter to get it back to its bubbly, active state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why isn’t my starter bubbling?
Ans: It’s probably just cold or needs more time. Try moving it to a warmer spot and give it another day or two. Patience is key.
Q2. What is this dark liquid on top of my starter?
Ans: That’s called “hooch,” and it’s totally normal. It’s just alcohol given off by the yeast, and it means your starter is hungry. Just stir it back in and feed it.
Q3. Help! I see mold! Is it ruined?
Ans: If you see pink, orange, or fuzzy black spots, you have to throw it out and start over. But if the liquid on top is just dark or grayish, that’s hooch, which is fine.
Q4. How do I know when it’s strong enough for bread?
Ans: A strong starter will reliably double in size within 4-8 hours after feeding. It will also pass the float test. This usually takes at least two weeks of consistent feeding.
Q5. Can I skip a feeding?
Ans: If your starter is on the counter, try not to. If it’s in the fridge, you have more wiggle room. If you forget for a couple of days on the counter, it’ll probably be fine—just give it a good feeding.
Wrapping Up
See? You did it. You created a living, breathing thing right in your own kitchen that can make the most amazing food you’ve ever tasted. It might seem like a lot of steps on paper, but after a few days, the rhythm of feeding your starter will feel totally natural.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Give your starter a name. Mine is named Clint Yeastwood. A friend of mine has one named Dough Biden. It’s part of the fun.
Now I want to hear from you. What did you name your starter? Did you run into any weird smells or funny bubbles? Drop a comment below and let me know how your sourdough journey is going.
