How To Feed Sourdough Starter (Feeding and Maintaining Tips)

In the world of sourdough baking, the care and feeding of your starter are paramount to achieving delicious and consistent results. Whether you're a seasoned sourdough enthusiast or just starting your journey, finding the rhythm for feeding your starter is essential. In this guide, we'll explore how to feed sourdough starter, providing you with tips and techniques to ensure your starter remains healthy, vibrant, and ready to leaven your next batch of artisanal bread.

Jump to:

• Where to Buy/ How To Make Sourdough Starter?
• But What Is Sourdough Starter?
• Feeding Sourdough Starter
• Christmas Sourdough ebook
• How Often Should I Feed My Sourdough Starter?
• My Sourdough Starter Schedule
• Maintaining a Healthy Sourdough Starter
• Storage
• Active Sourdough Starter vs Sourdough Discard
• Sourdough Starter Tips For Cold Kitchens
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sourdough Recipes For Beginners

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Where to Buy/ How To Make Sourdough Starter?

The first step in your sourdough journey is to acquire a good sourdough starter. And here, you have two options: buy one or make your very own starter. 

The benefit of purchasing a starter is that it is already mature and you can start baking with it pretty much straight away.

Whilst sourdough starters are available to purchase online, try visiting your local sourdough bakery and asking for a small amount of starter. They may give you some free of charge, especially if you are a loyal customer. 

Here, at Somebody Feed Seb, we like making things from scratch - and sourdough starter is no exception. We made our own sourdough starter back in 2018, and it is going stronger than ever!

Follow the steps in our dedicated article about How To Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch, and make sure to read through the tips in this article. You can also download our Beginner's Guide to Sourdough Starter below. 

But What Is Sourdough Starter?

A sourdough starter is a dynamic concoction of fresh flour and water, left to ferment and grow colonies of natural yeasts and good bacteria present in our surroundings. This fermentation process transforms the mixture into a live sourdough culture teeming with wild yeast, which works its magic without the need for commercial yeast. 

Essentially, it's a lively ecosystem of natural yeast, flourishing in a blend of flour and water. When a small portion of sourdough starter is introduced into bread dough, the yeast facilitates the rising of the dough.

Feeding Sourdough Starter

In this section, we explain all the processes, best practices, tools and ingredients, involved in the feeding process of your sourdough starter. The advice in this article applies to any mature sourdough starter that is being maintained to be fit for baking.

If you have a new (or very young) sourdough starter, follow the advice in our Beginners Guide To Sourdough Starter, and once you've completed the first week of daily feedings, come back to this article to learn more about feeding. 

What Flour To Feed Your Sourdough Starter?

When it comes to feeding your sourdough starter, the type of flour you choose can significantly impact its flavour and activity.

Over my years of baking with sourdough, I've experimented with various flours, from whole wheat flour to spelt, and while each has its merits, my go-to starter is the one that is made with a combination of water and white flour, which can be either all-purpose flour (a.k.a. plain flour) or high-protein bread flour (strong flour).

This starter is the most versatile, let alone white flour is the most budget-friendly and widely available. 

Having said that, rye flour brings a unique depth to the starter, acting as a catalyst to kickstart the fermentation process. Its rich nutrient profile enhances the starter's vigour and resilience, contributing to its reliability. Simply use 2 parts white flour : 1 part rye to feed your starter. 

I also recommend keeping multiple starters, each fed with different types of flour, to introduce diverse flavour profiles to your bakes. This practice allows for creativity and customization in your bread-making endeavours, yielding loaves with distinct characteristics and nuances.

One crucial aspect to note is the effects of using fresh flour to feed your starter. Freshly milled flour contains more active enzymes and nutrients, which can greatly benefit the fermentation process and overall health of your sourdough starter. 

NOTE: Feeding your sourdough starter with a certain type of flour doesn't mean that you cannot use a different type of flour in your bakes.  

Sourdough Feeding Ratios

I often get asked about the feeding ratios for my sourdough starter recipes.

When I feed my starter for a specific recipe, I tend to feed my starter 1 part starter : 1 part flour : 1 part water and then leave it in a warm spot for 4 hours before using it in the recipe. 

We have tips on how to keep sourdough starter warm, especially in cold winter months when the temperature drops! Note though, that sudden temperature changes may result in condensation in your sourdough starter jar.

However, if you are not making a recipe for a good amount of time, you can increase the ratio of flour and water you feed your starter. For example, you can use a ratio of 1 part starter : 2 parts flour : 2 parts water and leave the starter to ferment for 7-8 hours. 

Alternatively, you can mix 1 part starter : 3 parts flour : 3 parts water just before going to bed and leave it overnight (12-13 hours) and have an active and bubbly starter in the morning. 

Hydration

Most recipes call for a 100% hydration starter. This is why most bakers keep a sourdough starter that is fed with equal parts of flour and water. 100% hydration level simply means that your starter always has the same amount of flour and water in it. 

But fret not, if a recipe asks you to use a lower hydration starter. All you need to do, is adjust the amount of flour you use on your last feed before using your starter in the recipe.

Feeding Sourdough Starter By Weight vs Volume

Feeding your sourdough starter with precise measurements by weight, rather than volume, is crucial for maintaining its health and consistency. When instructions call for equal parts of water and flour, it's essential to interpret this as equal weights, not volumes. 

Using kitchen scales ensures accuracy in providing sufficient nourishment for the wild yeast present in the starter. This precision helps maintain the desired sourdough hydration levels, which is crucial for achieving consistent results in your sourdough baking.

Best Container For Sourdough Starter

Opting for a tall and narrow container offers several advantages when cultivating your sourdough starter. The container's height provides essential support for the rising starter, allowing it to rise higher before deflating.

Additionally, a transparent container (like a glass jar or a see-through plastic container) is ideal for accurately gauging the starter's rise within specific time frames, such as 4 or 6 hours.

To facilitate this observation, affix a rubber band at the level where the starter begins or mark the container with a pen. Choosing a container with a uniform diameter across its height simplifies tracking the rise, ensuring consistency in monitoring the starter's progress too. 

Temperature

Most recipes ask us to leave our sourdough starter in a warm place for 4-6 hours until it doubles or triples in size. But what exactly is meant by a warm spot?  

The optimal temperature for your sourdough starter after feeding is typically between 22°C to 27°C (71°F to 81°F). At this temperature range, the wild yeast in the starter is most active as your starter ferments. For best results, maintaining a consistent and slightly warm environment is crucial.

If your kitchen is a little cold, you can achieve this by placing your starter in a draft-free area, such as inside a turned-off oven with the light on, on top of a warm appliance, or near a gentle heat source like a radiator. Some bakers also use a proofing box or a warming mat specifically designed for maintaining fermentation temperatures.

However, it's essential to monitor the temperature closely to avoid overheating, which can kill the beneficial microorganisms in the starter. 

Sourdough Starter Feeding Instructions

Here are the step-by-step instructions for feeding your starter. 

1. Weigh the unfed sourdough starter in a medium bowl. 

2. Pour in the same amount of water (by weight) and stir until the two are fully incorporated. 

3. Add the same amount of flour (same weight as water) and stir it until fully combined and no dry pockets of flour remain. 

4. Scoop the starter into a clean jar, and cover partially with a lid. Leaving the starter partially exposed will help it collect more wild yeast. 

5. Mark the jar with a rubber band or a pen at the line where your starter is starting, so you can monitor the rise. 

5. Leave the starter in a warm spot (optimal temperature is discussed in the section above) for 4 hours. Your starter should at least double in volume within that time if it is ready to be used in baking. If not, feed it again. Learn more about why your sourdough starter isn't doubling!

6. Once your starter has doubled or even tripled, use it immediately as it will start deflating shortly. 

7. If you fed more starter than you need for a specific starter, feed any remaining starter again before putting it in storage (please refer to my feeding schedule to learn how I keep my sourodugh starter). 

If you are feeding just enough starter to use in a specific recipe, take a little more than ⅓ of what your recipe asks for (given the recipe asks for 100% hydration starter). Then feed it with the same amount of water and flour by weight. I always account for a little starter sticking to the bowls, jars and spoons. 

When Is Sourdough Starter Ready To Be Used?

Many advise testing your starter by performing a float test - dropping a teaspoon of starter into a cup of water. If it floats, they say, it is ready to be used. However, a floating starter simply means that the density of your starter is lower than the density of water. It doesn't necessarily imply that your starter has an established yeast colony. It could be due to all the gasses released by bacteria. Therefore, I suggest that the best way to test its suitability is to measure the time it takes to double when fed.

Leave your fed starter in a warm place and if it doubles (or even triples) within 4 hours, it's ready to be used! If it takes a lot longer, you may have a starter that is bubbly due to bacteria. The most important thing is to use your starter at its peak. Once it doubles (or triples) you must use it in your dough before it starts deflating. Deflating indicates that the yeast is hungry again, and your starter needs to be fed in order to be fit for purpose.

How Often Should I Feed My Sourdough Starter?

I am sorry to say, that there is no right or wrong answer. It depends! 

Frequent feedings will ensure strong yeast colonies and low acidity, but feeding your starter every single day will produce a lot of sourdough discard and may not be an optimal solution for home bakers. 

Whilst a new starter will need daily feeding, a mature starter can get away with a lot less. 

If you keep your sourdough starter on a kitchen counter at room temperature, we highly recommend feeding it every 24-36 hours. However, an established starter that is kept in the fridge in between feeds can be fed twice a week and still produce a successful sourdough starter that will be ready for baking after one final feed. 

My Sourdough Starter Schedule

Here I am sharing a feeding schedule that works for me, and that I use in my day-to-day life (of course I bake more over Christmas, and the feedings become for frequent). I keep a small starter, and always use the discard to make various delicious treats! 

Today is Monday and I have 90g of sourdough starter in the fridge that hasn't been fed for 2-3 days. And here's what I typically do!

MONDAY: I feed all of my starter (90g) with 90 g water and 90 g flour. I leave this starter (270g) in a warm spot to double in size, then use 160 g of it to make a loaf of sourdough bread. I feed 50g of the remaining starter with 50 grams of water and 50 grams of flour and store it (150g) in a jar labelled ACTIVE in the fridge. The rest of it (60g) I place in a jar, labeled DISCARD and store it in the fridge. 

TUESDAY: No feeding. 

WEDNESDAY: No feeding. 

THURSDAY: I feed the starter from my ACTIVE jar (150g) with 150g of water and 150g of water, leave it to double in volume in a warm spot and use about 100-160g of active starter to make flatbreads, croissants or cinnamon rolls. I am left with approximately 290g of sourdough starter. I take 30g of it, and feed it with 30g of water and 30g of flour and store it in the fridge labelled ACTIVE. The remaining 260g of sourdough starter I place in the jar labelled "DISCARD" and store it in the fridge to make recipes that require sourdough discard over the next few days (at this point I have about 320g of sourdough discard). 

FRIDAY: No feeding

SATURDAY: No feeding. Over the weekend I will use all of my sourdough discard (320g) to make various snacks for the week. I typically use 225g to make Sourdough Discard Crackers and the rest to make Sourdough Pancakes, a Sourdough Pie Crust or a sweet treat like Sourodugh Brownies or Sourdough Lemon Muffins. 

SUNDAY: No feeding. By the end of the weekend, I have no sourdough discard and about 90g of sourdough starter left in the fridge. 

Maintaining a Healthy Sourdough Starter

Ensuring the vitality of your sourdough starter is essential for successful baking ventures.

• Regular feedings: Consistency is key; maintain a feeding schedule to keep your starter healthy. 
• Vigilance against bad bacteria: Watch for signs of spoilage, such as off odours or discolouration, which indicate the presence of harmful microbes.
• Visual cues: Look for a lively, bubbly texture and a pleasantly tangy aroma to confirm your starter's health and suitability to leaven your bakes. Read more about what a runny sourdough starter means and how to fix it?
• Active fermentation: A starter that doubles or triples in volume within 4 hours after feeding is a sign of a robust and healthy culture.

Storage

There are different ways to store your sourodugh starter, depending on how often you bake. 

If you bake multiple times a week, you may keep your sourodugh starter at room temperature. However, the warmer the temperature, the hungrier your yeast colonies will get in the same amount of time. Keeping your starter at room temperature requires daily feedings to ensure strong yeast colonies and a starter that is low in acidity. 

You can also keep your sourdough starter in the fridge between bakes. The most important thing to note is that your starter should be fed just before placing it in the fridge to provide enough food for the yeast for a longer period of time. Feed your starter, then place it in a clean jar (or another airtight container) leaving plenty of space and store it in the fridge for up to a week. I For best results refresh your starter at least 1-2 a week, ideally before a liquid ("hooch") starts forming on top of your starter. 

For long term storage, consider freezing your starter. Learn more about it in our dedicated articles below: 

Preparing Refrigerated Sourdough Starter For Baking

The first thing you need to do is establish the condition of your starter. If you stored your starter in the fridge for a long time without feeding it with flour and water, you may need to feed your starter a few times before it is fit for purpose. 

Over longer period of time, the yeasts in your unfed starter are not only hungry and too weak to leaven the bread, your starter also becomes increasingly acidic. This is not only detrimental to the flavour of your bakes, but acidity can also impact gluten development affecting the texture of your loaves (they simply won't rise very well). 

To prepare your starter for baking with it, take it out of the fridge and feed it as you normally would with flour and water. 

TIP: If your sourdough starter has a layer of liquid on top, discard it before feeding your starter. This sour liquid is water and alcohol, which is the product of the fermentation process. It is perfectly normal!

Leave the starter in a clean jar to rise. If it doesn't at least double in volume within 4 hours (given a feeding ratio of 1 part starter: 1 part flour : 1 part water)  in a warm pot, your starter should be fed again. Even if you have a bubbly sourdough starter and it passes the float test, it is a good idea to feed it again, as the floating may be due to the gasses created by the bacteria, not yeast!

Active Sourdough Starter vs Sourdough Discard

An active sourdough starter is a lively, bubbly concoction teeming with wild yeast and beneficial bacteria, ready to leaven bread dough. It's the heart of sourdough baking, providing the leavening power for your loaves (it essentially replaces the commercial yeast (and adds extra hydration) to your dough. When a recipe calls for an active sourdough starter, you need to feed your starter, wait for it to at least double in volume, and then use it in the recipe when it is at its peak (before it starts deflating). 

In contrast, discard sourdough starter refers to the portion of starter removed before the feeding process (it is also known as unfed sourdough starter). While not as potent as the active starter, discard can still be repurposed in recipes like pancakes, waffles, or crackers, adding a subtle tangy flavour.

What To Do With Sourdough Discard?

Sourdough discard should never be discarded! It can add a unique tang to your bakes as well as prolong their shelf life (lactic acid acts like a preservative in your bakes). It's also a good way to reduce food waste in your kitchen - something that always makes us feel good! Here are some of our favourite Sourdough discard recipes to try: 

Sourdough Starter Tips For Cold Kitchens

If your kitchen is cold (especially over winter), there are a few ways you can help your starter along. 

• Use luke warm water for feeding your starter. 
• Place your starter in a turned-off oven with a light on to create a warm environment for it to rise. 
• Place the container with the sourdough starter in a bigger container with warm water. Keep topping it up to keep the temperature up. 
• Find a good spot near or on top of the radiator, but make sure it isn't scorching hot, and create a barrier between the starter container and the source of the heat (place a wooden board or a folded teatowel in between).  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Overfeed My Sourdough Starter?

It's uncommon, but yes, you can overfeed your starter. Overfeeding a sourdough starter results in the dilution of its natural yeast and bacteria, leading to a weakened and inactive sourdough culture.

How Long Can A Sourdough Starter Go Without Feeding?

You can store your sourdough starter in the fridge for up to 1 month without feeding, but it will take a few feedings to bring it back to its active state. You can also freeze the sourdough starter for up to 1 year and then revive the frozen starter to use it for baking. More about freezing your sourdough starter here.

What Is A Grey/ Brown Liquid On My Sourdough Starter?

Known as a sourdough hooch, it is a mixture of water and alcohol that is a product of fermentation. Whilst it is normal for the liquid to form on top of your sourodugh starter if it hasn't been fed for a while (it indicates that your starter needs feeding asap), we recommend discarding this liquid on top of sourdough starter before feeding your starter again to avoid high acidity. 

What Should Sourdough Starter Smell Like?

A healthy sourdough starter should emit a pleasantly tangy and slightly sour aroma, similar to probiotic yoghurt. 

Sourdough Recipes For Beginners

If you are just starting out on your sourodugh baking journey, these step-by-step sourdough bread recipes will definitely make you fall in love.