THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE
First, a starter.
Then, a whole new ritual.
Allow 10 days or longer. A starter earns its place in your dough by rising reliably after feeding—not by reaching a birthday.
Flour meets water.
Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely; leave for 24 hours around 70–78°F, with space for expansion.
Keep a little. Feed a little.
Keep 50 g of the mixture and discard the rest. Add the flour and water, stir, cover loosely, and wait 24 hours. Bubbles may or may not appear yet.
Build a feeding rhythm.
About every 12 hours, retain 50 g starter and feed with 50 g all-purpose flour and 50 g water. Discard the remainder each time. Continue on subsequent days until the rise becomes reliable.
Ready is something you see.
Look for reliable doubling within roughly 6–8 hours after feeding, plentiful bubbles and a pleasantly tangy aroma. One burst of activity is not enough. If it isn’t reliably rising, continue feeding.
Maintain your established starter ↗Know when to start over.
Mold or pink/orange streaks mean discard the starter and begin again with a clean jar. Don’t scrape off the affected part and keep the rest. Avoid excessive heat.
A liquid layer on an established starter can indicate hunger; it does not by itself mean the culture has spoiled. Evaluate the whole starter before feeding.
Use the recipe planner to see what’s ahead. Start a sourdough bake only when you have enough active, established starter for the formula.
Feeding method and readiness guidance: King Arthur Baking’s starter recipe. Timing and warning signs: starter troubleshooting. Summarized for Crumb; not an affiliation.