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The Ultimate Guide: How to Make and Maintain a Sourdough Starter From Scratch

Overhead view of an active, bubbly sourdough starter inside a clear glass jar, showing signs of fermentation.
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Follow this day-by-day guide to create an active, bubbly sourdough starter using only flour and water. Learn the simple feeding schedule required for maintenance.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g Whole Wheat Flour or Rye Flour (for initial days)
  • 100g Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (for later days)
  • 100g Unchlorinated Water (room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Mix 50g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50g of room temperature water in a clean jar. Stir until fully combined. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature (68-75°F or 20-24°C) for 24 hours.
  2. Day 2: You may see little activity or small bubbles. Discard half of the mixture (about 50g). Feed the remaining starter with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Mix well, cover loosely, and wait 24 hours.
  3. Day 3: You should see more bubbles and perhaps a sour smell. Discard half. Feed with 50g all-purpose flour and 50g water. Wait 24 hours.
  4. Day 4: Activity might slow down; this is normal. Discard half. Feed with 50g all-purpose flour and 50g water. Wait 24 hours.
  5. Day 5: You should see consistent bubbles after feeding. Discard half. Feed with 50g all-purpose flour and 50g water. Wait 12 hours.
  6. Day 6: Feed again 12 hours later using the same 1:1:1 ratio (50g starter, 50g flour, 50g water). The starter should double in size within 4-8 hours after feeding.
  7. Day 7 and Beyond (Maintenance): Once the starter consistently doubles in size within 4-8 hours after feeding, it is active. You can now switch to a standard feeding schedule. For room temperature storage, feed it every 12-24 hours using a 1:1:1 ratio (e.g., 50g starter, 50g flour, 50g water).
  8. For refrigerator storage, feed the starter, let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then place it in the fridge. Feed it once per week using the same ratio.

Notes

  • Use filtered or bottled water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated.
  • Maintain a consistent temperature range for best results during the initial creation phase.
  • A 1:1:1 ratio means 1 part starter, 1 part flour, and 1 part water by weight.
  • If you see mold, discard the entire batch and start over.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savorandpin.com/sourdough-starter-guide-from-scratch/