How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Name: How to Make a Sourdough Starter
Prep time: 7 d
Total time: 7 d
Yield: 1 sourdough starter
Ingredients: 80 grams whole wheat flour; 80 grams water; 80 grams all-purpose flour; 80 grams water

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Prep Time
7 d
Total Time
7 d
Servings
1 sourdough starter
Course
Bread

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Angela Watkins

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This guide for making a sourdough starter explains the step-by-step feeding schedule using whole wheat flour and warm filtered water initially, then transitioning to all-purpose or bread flour. It includes detailed daily maintenance instructions and adjustments for optimal fermentation. The instructions emphasize observing bubbles and discard methods to cultivate an active, bubbly starter for sourdough baking.

Description

How to Make a Sourdough Starter outlines a daily feeding process beginning with a thick mixture of whole wheat flour and warm filtered water. Over successive days, partial discard and feeding cycles help cultivate wild yeast and bacteria required for a lively starter.

The starter's progress is monitored by increases in volume and bubble formation. After about five days, the flour is switched to all-purpose or bread flour, matching the flour type you plan to use for baking. Consistent feeding and temperature control support microbial development.

The instructions also cover storage options: daily room temperature feeding if baking frequently or refrigeration with weekly feedings for occasional bakers. The starter requires feeding before use to ensure peak rising power. Once established, it can be maintained in a single jar with simple discard protocol.

The detailed approach ensures a reliable base for making sourdough bread and other recipes that require natural leavening.

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Ingredients

Servings

For Feeding (Days 1-5)

80 grams whole wheat flour (⅔ cup)
80 grams water ⅓ cup) (water should be between 90-100F/32-37C, warm, filtered

For Feeding (Day 5+)

80 grams all-purpose flour ⅔ cup, or bread flour
80 grams water ⅓ cup) (water should be between 90-100F/32-37C, filtered

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Instructions

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DAY ONE

Combine 80 grams whole wheat flour and 80 grams filtered water in a glass container and stir well until no dry bits of flour remain (try to eliminate all lumps, bit it’s alright if some small ones remain). The mixture will be very, very thick, but if it's too dry to stir add another splash of water.
Cover container and place in a warm (not hot!) spot to rest, undisturbed, for 24 hours.

DAY 2

The starter won’t look too different, but may have darkened in color and may have a bit of liquid on its surface (this is fine). Stir and discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind).To your starter, add 80 grams whole wheat flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 3

Starter will increase in size and you should hopefully start to see bubbles. Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind).To your starter, add 80 grams whole wheat flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 4

Starter should have bubbles and possibly a small bit of liquid on top. Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind).To your starter, add 80 grams whole wheat flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 5

Your starter should be increasing in size by this point and possibly even doubling. You’ll begin feeding the sourdough twice a day (12 hours apart) and you will switch over to either bread flour or all-purpose flour (your choice, see note).
In the morning: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind).To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place
In the evening: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind). To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 6

In the morning: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind). To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place
In the evening: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind). To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 7

In the morning: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind). To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place
In the evening: Discard slightly more than half the starter (you'll discard about 140g, leaving about 80g/¼ cup behind). To your starter, add 80 grams all-purpose or bread flour and 80 grams warm (95F/35C) filtered water. Stir well, cover, place in a warm place

DAY 8

If your sourdough is now growing vigorously and bubbly and doubling within 6-8 hours, you can reduce to just feeding once a day. If yours is not, continue feeding twice a day until it rises well and is bubbly within 6-8 hours of a feeding.
Well done, you’ve established your sourdough starter!

Maintenance

Every day (preferably at the same time every day) discard about half of the starter then feed it 80 grams of your preferred flour and 80 grams of warm water. Make a mark on the jar with a dry erase marker or wrap a rubber band around the jar to mark how full your jar is and watch for it to double to know it is ready to use!Alternatively follow my instructions in the notes section below for storing your sourdough starter in the refrigerator to use and feed weekly. Note that I recommend regularly feeding the sourdough starter for at least two weeks before attempting to use it in recipes. If you use quite a bit of your starter for a recipe, you may wish to feed it one or two consecutive days without discarding to get it back to a reasonable volume before discarding again.

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Notes

Use filtered or bottled water to avoid chlorine, which can inhibit starter growth.
Switch to the flour type used for baking (bread or all-purpose) after day 5 for consistent results.
Feed the starter regularly, discarding about half before each feeding to maintain balance.
Store the starter at room temperature with daily feedings if baking often, or refrigerate with weekly feedings for less frequent use.
Allow the starter to double before use and discard until day 8 before using discard in recipes.