Sourdough Starter Care 101: Feeding Your Wild Yeast Companion

Your Sourdough Starter is Alive!

A sourdough starter is a living community of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. To keep it healthy, active, and ready to bake beautiful loaves, it requires regular feeding. Think of it as a low-maintenance kitchen pet!

The Daily Feeding Routine (Room Temperature)

If you keep your starter on the kitchen counter, you will need to feed it once every 24 hours. Here is the standard ratio we recommend:

1. Discard: Stir your starter, and discard all but 50 grams of it. Discarding is essential to prevent your starter from growing too large and becoming overly acidic.
2. Feed Flour: Add 50 grams of unbleached flour (a mix of whole wheat and white flour works wonders).
3. Feed Water: Add 50 grams of lukewarm, filtered water (chlorinated tap water can harm the wild yeast).
4. Mix: Stir thoroughly with a clean spoon until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely and let it sit.

Tip: Use a rubber band around the jar to mark the level of the starter right after feeding. This helps you track when it doubles or triples in height!

The Refrigerator Method (For Occasional Bakers)

If you only bake once a week or once every two weeks, keeping your starter on the counter can be wasteful. Instead, store it in the fridge! Feed it once a week, let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours to activate, then put it back in the refrigerator. When you're ready to bake, bring it out and feed it 1-2 times beforehand to wake it up.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Liquid on top (Hooch): If you see a dark liquid on top, don't worry. This is "hooch," which means your starter is hungry! Simply pour it off (or stir it back in for a tangier flavor) and feed as usual.
• No bubbles: If it's not bubbling, it might be too cold. Move it to a warmer spot in your kitchen, like near the microwave or oven.

With a little practice, feeding your starter will become a satisfying, mindful ritual that connects you directly to the ancient craft of baking.