How Do I Know If It’s Dead? And Other Sourdough Starter Questions, Answered (2024)

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Sourdough for Beginners

Meghan Splawn

Meghan Splawn

Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.

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updated Dec 8, 2022

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If I had a dollar for every text, DM, or phone call I’ve answered about sourdough starters just this month, I’d have enough funds to start a small bakery. Make no mistake — I welcome the opportunity to demystify the process of creating, feeding, and baking with a sourdough starter at home.

Caring for a starter shouldn’t be scary, and it only takes a few minutes of time each day (and even less once your starter is established).

Below, I’m answering five of the most common questions about feeding and maintaining a sourdough starter, gathered from Kitchn readers, my friends, and our own Apartment Therapy sourdough Slack channel.

But, First: What Is a Sourdough Starter?

A sourdough starter is a simple mixture of flour and water that has collected natural yeast and bacteria, which give natural leavening (aka rise) and flavor to baked goods. A starter can be substituted for commercial yeast or work in tandem with yeast to raise breads, biscuits, and more.

1. Did I kill my starter? And how do I know if it’s still alive?

A healthy, lively starter that has been properly fed has a clean, slightly yeasty scent and a bubbly surface. Remember — a brand new baby starter isn’t going to have much aroma or bubbles for the first few days, so if your starter is new, it’s likely not dead, it’s just not active yet.

The most common mistake people make when starting a sourdough starter from scratch is storing it in too cold of a location. Make sure your starter is at room temperature while you’re building it.

It’s also very common for starters to have a lot of activity in the first few days and then slow down. The first few super bubbly days are often a result of other bacteria coming to play in the starter, but when they die off, the bubbles will slow or even stop. Keep feeding your starter, and you’ll see normal activity (bubbles) return in a few days.

If your starter has a bit of dark liquid on top, it’s not dead! It simply means it’s hungry and that it’s time to feed it. Unless your starter has a pink or orange hue or is beginning to mold, you probably haven’t killed it yet.

As long as you do your best to create a consistent feeding routine for your starter and store it in the same spot everyday, it should be fine. Pretty soon, you’ll develop an eye for what makes your starter happy.

2. I want to try this, but I only have whole wheat flour at home right now. Will that work?

Yes, absolutely! Whole wheat and rye starters are pretty common in professional bakeries, and can also be fed and maintained with all-purpose flour later on down the line. Keep in mind that whole wheat and rye starters might need more than one feeding a day (most get fed every 12 hours) as they have more available “food” for the hungry bacteria and yeast in your starter.

3. When is my starter strong enough for baking?

A new starter will be ready for bread baking within 7 to 10 days. The best way to tell if your starter is ready is to feed it and measure its growth in a four hour period. A healthy, robust starter should double in volume within four hours of feeding. If it does double, begin the next step of the process (the levain) immediately.

You can also perform a “float test” which is a little less reliable, but can be used if you feel pretty confident in your starter and want to skip the feeding test. Just fill a cup with room temperature water and add 1 teaspoon of your starter. If it floats, it’s ready to go!

4. When you say discard half the starter, what do you mean? Throw it out?

You’ll discard half the starter to keep the ratio of starter to flour and water consistent, and so that you don’t end up with a gallon of starter when you only need a cup or two for most baking projects.

If you’re following Kitchn’s starter guide, you’ll begin “discarding” after day 4 of establishing your starter. You can throw discard away, but you can also use this discard to make another starter to share with a friend or save it for cooking and baking. Personally, I keep an airtight container of discard in my fridge for baking biscuits and making crackers and pancakes.

5. Can I take a break from my starter?

Yes, after your starter is established (about 10 days after you created it), you can move it from room temperature storage, where you feed it everyday, to the fridge. A starter stored in the fridge can be fed once a week. If you plan to use it often, you can store it for up to two months without feeding. When you want to use the starter again, remove it from the fridge for a few hours, then feed it every 12 hours for 36 hours before you make bread with it.

Need a really long break? You can even freeze your starter!

Sourdough for Beginners: Meet Your Crew

More Sourdough Resources

  • How To Make Sourdough Starter from Scratch
  • How to Make Sourdough Bread
  • Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Loaf
  • Essential Sourdough Equipment: Here’s Everything You Need to Make Sourdough Bread at Home

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How Do I Know If It’s Dead? And Other Sourdough Starter Questions, Answered (2024)

FAQs

How Do I Know If It’s Dead? And Other Sourdough Starter Questions, Answered? ›

The first few super bubbly days are often a result of other bacteria coming to play in the starter, but when they die off, the bubbles will slow or even stop. Keep feeding your starter, and you'll see normal activity (bubbles) return in a few days. If your starter has a bit of dark liquid on top, it's not dead!

How do I know if my sourdough starter is active enough? ›

You can perform a float test to check if your starter is ready. Take a small spoonful of the starter and drop it into a glass of water. If it floats, it indicates that the starter is sufficiently active and ready for use.

What does successful sourdough starter look like? ›

It's okay if your starter doesn't have big bubbles. Large bubbles can be the result of the flour you're using and the hydration. What's more important overall, is to see strong signs of consistent fermentation: some bubbles, consistent rise each day, a sour aroma, a loosening in texture.

How to detect bad sourdough starter? ›

Unpleasant Odor If your starter emits odors like rotting fruit or nail polish remover it may have unwanted bacteria or excessive yeast byproducts. Visible Mold Any mold regardless of color indicates that the starter is contaminated and should be discarded.

What if my sourdough starter isn't bubbling? ›

Part of what makes a starter rise and become bubbly is the yeast. Yeast will become dormant when kept in colder temperatures. If your house is particularly warm (or if you keep your starter in the fridge), it could be sluggish. Try keeping it somewhere warm.

What does underfed sourdough starter look like? ›

If your sourdough starter exhibits any of these signs: - Smells like acetone or vinegar - Has a runny consistency - Is full of tiny bubbles or foaming - Doubles in size and then falls back down - Develops a clear, gray, or black liquid on top - Gets a white, powdery substance on the surface It's time to feed it!

Should sourdough starter be thick or runny? ›

Does it matter if my starter is thick or thin, you ask? Nope! Thick and thin starters are both full of wild yeasts and bacteria which is what your bread is begging for. The viscosity of your starter is really just a personal preference because thick and thin starters will both make bread.

What sourdough starter should not look like? ›

Unless you can see mold on your sourdough starter or it has visible signs of pink or orange, your sourdough starter is not dead! Even if it has thick, dark colored liquid on top - it can still be brought back to life!

Can I use my starter if it doesn't float? ›

Can I use a deflated starter if I missed its peak? You can, and I often have. However, if you have the time to wait, you can also feed it again and let the starter rise once more. This would help to achieve more consistent results.

What color is a bad sourdough starter? ›

Bad bacteria can also appear as an orange tinge or pink streaks. However, if you see a brown liquid sitting on top of your sourdough starter that is called “hooch”. It is not dangerous but is often a sign that your starter is hungry. Some people recommend pouring it off.

What is a bad smell for sourdough starter? ›

Acetone is the main ingredient in cheap fingernail polish remover. If you smell that, it's probably time to start a new starter.

What temperature kills sourdough starters? ›

Yeast will die if exposed to temps of 60C or above (140F). It is very likely that your sourdough starter will actually die at temps lower than this. Anything above 120F (50C) would be considered too hot for a sourdough starter and will kill the wild yeast if exposed for long periods.

Should I stir my sourdough starter between feedings? ›

stir your starter in between feedings - try stirring it twice in between feedings and really give it a chance to get oxygen into the mix. This will help to activate your starter without too much effort.

Why isn't my sourdough starter doubling in size? ›

If your starter gets completely covered on top with bubbles but does not rise, it is healthy but may just be a wet mix. Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter.

How to fix a weak sourdough starter? ›

Changing the feeding interval, or frequency, is the single most important tool in strengthening a starter. By simply catching your starter near its peak and refeeding at that time, you can significantly strengthen a weak starter.

How do I know when my sourdough starter needs feeding? ›

At some point, you'll experience a dark, grayish liquid on the surface of your sourdough starter. Don't stress. Hooch is just a sign that your starter needs to be fed. Simply pour it off, removing any discolored starter underneath and give it a fresh feeding.

Is sourdough starter ready if it doesn't float? ›

The sourdough float test involves taking a scoop of unstirred sourdough starter and dropping it into a glass of water to see if it floats. It's said that if it floats, your sourdough starter is ready to bake with. If it sinks, it's not ready.

How long after feeding is sourdough starter most active? ›

A mature sourdough starter will reach its peak around 2 to 4 hours after being fed. If it's particularly cold, or you've given it a huge feeding ratio, this could be extended to 12 hours.

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