Sourdough Starter- The Beginning

Written By Eva Postlewait

If you’ve ever wanted to bake your own sourdough bread, it all starts here—with a bubbly, active sourdough starter. No store-bought yeast needed—just flour, water, and a bit of patience. In about a week, you’ll have a strong, reliable starter that’s ready to make beautiful loaves, pancakes, crackers, and more.

This method is simple and low-maintenance, perfect for beginners and busy bakers alike.

What You’ll Need:

  • Flour – You can use plain (all-purpose), whole wheat, or rye flour. Whole wheat and rye help speed things up, but plain flour works too.

  • Water – Filtered or dechlorinated water works best (chlorine can inhibit fermentation). Room temperature is ideal.

Day 1

In a clean jar or container, mix:

  • 50g flour

  • 50g water

Stir well to combine into a thick, paste-like mixture. Scrape down the sides, loosely cover the jar with a lid or cloth, and let it sit at room temperature (around 20–24°C / 68–75°F) for 24 hours.

Day 2

You might see a few bubbles, or it may look the same—that’s normal. Discard half the starter (about 50g), then feed with: Throw away the discard, you can start saving it for discard recipes when your starter is established.

  • 50g flour

  • 50g water

Stir well and cover again. Let sit for another 24 hours.

Days 3–7

Repeat the same process each day:

  1. Discard half of your starter.

  2. Feed with 50g flour + 50g water.

By days 4–5, you should start seeing more bubbles, a sour smell (like yogurt or vinegar), and noticeable rising. Around day 6 or 7, your starter should double in size within 4–6 hours of feeding—that’s when it’s ready to use!

How to Know It's Ready:

  • Doubles in size within 4–6 hours

  • Smells pleasantly tangy

  • Full of bubbles throughout

Once active, store it in the fridge and feed once a week, or keep it at room temperature and feed daily if baking often.

Quick Tips:

  • Use a rubber band or marker on your jar to track how much your starter rises.

  • Always discard before feeding—this keeps your starter healthy and manageable.

  • Want to bake? Feed your starter and wait until it’s doubled and bubbly, then use it in your recipe.

Eva Postlewait