How to feed your starter? - Sourdough Explained (2024)

One of the most common questions I get when it comes to the sourdough starter, is how to feed your starter, not only for it to be healthy, but also to optimise & minimise any waste (aka discard).

Quite often, when we start making sourdough bread, we get stuck with a certain way of feeding the starter, whichever that might be. It’s what the recipe says, and we don’t know how to change that. We end up with huge amounts of starter and lots of discard. And sometimes an unhappy starter too. That’s sluggish, doesn’t double in volume, smells acidic too.

With this article, I am hoping to shed some light on how to feed your starter

There are 3 key factors to consider when feeding your starter, so that you end up with the amount of starter you need to make the dough, plus the little extra to carry over to the next feed. You need the carry over to keep the starter going, but too much of it means discard.

🌾The starting point is always the amount of starter you need to prep the dough

Say your recipe calls for 100g starter

🌾You also want the little extra to carryover, to keep the starter going.

20-30g should be sufficient, even as little as 5/10g if you feed your starter every day or every second day. I leave this to you to decide on.

🌾Then you need to consider the feeding ratio you want to use. The feeding ratio gives the fermentation speed and how quickly your starter will be ready to use. The higher the ratio, the longer it will take for the starter to reach its peak.

My go to feeding ratio which gives the perfect balance in flavour (mild, but tangy at the some time), but also fits my schedule is 1:4:4. When feeding the starter in a 1:4:4 feeding ratio, it will be ready to use in something between 6-8h, depending on the room temperature as well, of course.

Now that you got all these, and of course pen & paper, it’s just a quick calculation

Below some guidance on how to come to the quantities of starter, water and flour to use when feeding your starter. You might want to treat this with a pinch of salt, and remember that the quantities are approximate, for reference only. It won’t be the end of the world if you end up with more or less carry over. You might have some discard, but that will be minimum anyways.

Should you want on purpose to have more ‘discard’ to make other recipes, plan with more carryover. And you can use the ‘discard’ while still young, not after it’s been in the fridge for a week, when it became quite acid already, maybe too sour for some recipes.

Feeding ratioAmount of starter
required
Extra starter
for carryover
Total amount of starter
required
Calculation
1:4:480g10g80g +10g =90g90g / (1+4+4) = 90/9 =10g
10g is the amount of starter that needs to be fed
10g starter + (10×4)g water + (10×4) flour = 10 +40 +40 =90g
80g used to make dough with, 10g carried over to the next feed
1:4:4100g20g100g +20g =120g120g / (1+4+4) = 120/9 =14g
14g is the amount of starter that needs to be fed
14g starter + (14×4)g water + (14×4) flour = 14 +56 +56 =125g
1:2:2200g40g200g +40g =240g240g / (1+2+2) = 240/5 = 48g
48g is the amount of starter that needs to be fed
48g starter + (48×2)g water + (48×2) flour = 48 +96 +96 =240g
200g used to make dough with, 40g carried over to the next feed
1:2:2100g25g100g +20g =120g120g / (1+2+2) = 120/5 =25g
25g is the amount of starter that needs to be fed
25g starter + (25×2)g water + (25×2) flour = 25 +50 +50 =125g
100g used to make dough with, 25g carried over to the next feed

Here are some typical quantities and feeding ratios, you might want to use as guidance, without having to go through the entire calculation.

Flour
for the dough
Starter
for the dough
Feeding ratioQuantities*Time for starter
to peak**
Left in the jar***
500g100g1:4:415g starter
60g water
60g flour
7-8h35g
500g100g1:2:225g starter
50g water
50g flour
5-6h25g
1000g
(2 loaves)
200g1:4:425g starter
100g water
100g flour
7-8h25g
1000g
(2 loaves)
200g1:2:250g starter
100g water
100g flour
5-6h50g
400g80g1:4:410g starter
40g water
40g flour
7-8h10g
400g80g1:2:220g starter
40g water
40g flour
5-6h20g
Notes

*Quantities are indicative, there is no significant impact by adding +/-5 g water or flour when feeding your starter

**Time to peak is approximate and it depends on the room temperature. The indicated times are based on a room temperature of 24C / 75F. The higher the temperature, the quicker fermentation will happen. And the other way around

***The starter left it in the jar can be placed back in the fridge without being fed beforehand, especially when you plan on making a dough again in the next couple of days. Should you plan to leave the starter unfed for longer (a week or longer), you may want to give it a feed, before returning it to the fridge. Make sure you let the fermentation start before moving it into the fridge. DO NOT place in the fridge right away

other information which might help you to understand how to feed your starter

🌾CONSIDER USING A SCALE rather than relying on volumetric measurements like cups. Did you know water, flour and the starter weigh differently, so 1/4 cup of each will be different in grams. Not to mention the cups are different in different countries, so you might end up using the wrong measurements.

🌾You don’t have to feed your starter every day if you don’t plan on making bread daily. Instead, you can pop it in the fridge, as the low temperature will slow down its fermentation

🌾Try and stay away from a 1:1:1 (equal parts of starter, water and flour) if you want to maintain a starter that’s not over acidic/ over fermented. With an over fermented starter, the yeast activity might be compromised leading to an under proofed dough, sticky dough, gummy crumb and overall a loaf that’s not rising much.

🌾Remember that a healthy starter fed in a 1:1:1 ratio should be active, double in volume and ready to use in something like 4-5h. Soon after this point, it will start losing volume, become runny and foamy on the surface. Do not leave it for too long before using it.

🌾A 1:4:4 ratio is recommended for a good balance of mildness/acidity. Happy yeast and enough bacterial activity to give the tangy flavour.

🌾Discard is necessary, if you have more starter in the jar than the amount of starter you need to feed. Otherwise you will end up with an unmanageable amount of starter. Not only this, but also the starter will start becoming more and more acidic. The discard should not be fed again.

🌾An over fermented starter will be rather runny, foamy on the surface and loose elasticity and gluey profile.

🌾If you’ve got lots of starter in your jar, give it a reset. Discard most of it, but 20-30g. Move it to a clean jar and feed it. You’ll quickly notice what a difference this makes.

Should you want to learn more about the starter maintenance, you might want to consider purchasing my Sourdough Starter Guide or Joining one of my Online Sourdough Bread making classes

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How to feed your starter? - Sourdough Explained (2024)

FAQs

How to feed your starter? - Sourdough Explained? ›

Feed starter with flour and water: If using a scale to measure ingredients, combine equal amounts by weight of starter, water, and flour. For instance, 50 grams starter, 50 grams water, 50 grams flour. If using measuring cups, combine 1 part starter, 1 part water, and a little less than 2 parts flour.

How do you feed sourdough starter with all purpose? ›

If kept around 76°F (24°C), this sourdough starter should ripen about every 12 hours. To give it a feeding, I discard the ripe sourdough starter in the jar down to 20g, add 70g fresh all-purpose flour, 30g whole rye flour, and 100g water. Then, I give it a thorough mix until everything is hom*ogenous.

What is the best ratio to feed sourdough starter? ›

Typical feeding ratios are 1:2:2 or 1:3:3 (old sourdough: fresh flour: water). However, even extreme ratios like 1:50:50 would still work. In that case, the freshly fed sourdough would just require more or much more time to grow and reach its peak, as judged by the maximum volume increase in the jar (at least doubled).

Do you really have to feed sourdough starter every day? ›

Leaving it out on the counter, it will need to be fed equal parts water and flour every 12-24 hours. Warmer homes or frequent baking will require more frequent feeding (around every 12 hours), while colder homes every 24 hours. Storing your sourdough starter in the fridge will require feeding around once a week.

How soon after feeding sourdough starter can I use it? ›

*Do not try baking with your starter right after feeding it. Allow time for it to grow and feast on the flour before using it. Starters are usually ready to bake with around 4-12 hours after a feeding depending on the amount you feed your starter. The larger the feeding, the more time it needs to ferment.

Should I stir my sourdough starter between feedings? ›

It is important that you stir the sourdough starter every day in the morning and in the evening. Feed the starter. Add 60 g flour and 60 g lukewarm water, stir well to combine, and let sit out for 24 hours.

Should sourdough starter jar be open or closed? ›

Should I Cover My Sourdough Starter Jar? I like to keep mine covered loosely to keep anything from falling inside the jar and the starter from drying out. The lid does not have to be airtight.

Can you overfeed sourdough starter? ›

Yes, you can overfeed your sourdough starter. Audrey explains: “Every time you add more flour and water, you are depleting the existing population of natural bacteria and yeast.” If you keep adding more and more, eventually you'll dilute the starter so much that you'll just have flour and water.

What happens if I forgot to discard the starter before feeding? ›

Not discarding will also help build up that sour flavor. So if you want your bread to be a little more sour, try not discarding a feed or two. before you pulled a bake.

What should a starter look like after feeding? ›

After feeding your starter, it should double or triple in size with bubbles visible on the surface and sides of the jar.

Why throw away half of sourdough starter? ›

As part of the feeding process, most bakers discard some of their sourdough starter before adding fresh flour and water to the jar. This is done to refresh the acidity levels (think sweet vs. sour smell) and to manage its overall growth in size. This technique is crucial for successful sourdough bread.

Why is my sourdough starter bubbling but not rising? ›

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 often do I discard sourdough starter? ›

Twice a day (usually at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.), I do the following when my starter is ripe:
  1. Discard the contents of my starter jar down to 20g (the discard can go in the compost, trash, or used in a discard recipe)
  2. To the jar, add 70g white flour, 30g whole rye flour, and 100g water.
May 16, 2024

Can I leave my sourdough starter out overnight after feeding it? ›

Can I leave my starter out overnight after feeding it? Yes, if you have just fed it.

Can I use a starter that has fallen? ›

Past-Peak and Falling: If your starter/leaven is past-peak and is beginning to fall in height, it is beyond the optimal point to use it for baking, but it will still work. The only thing to consider is that once a starter peaks, it starts to become more acidic as it falls.

How to tell if sourdough starter is bad? ›

Typical signs of food spoilage and mold include pink, orange, or green colors, white fuzzy spots, or sometimes areas that are darker with white areas on top. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend throwing your starter away and creating a new one.

Do you feed sourdough starter with all purpose flour or bread flour? ›

But all purpose, bread flour, whole wheat flour or rye flour are all suitable for feeding a regular sourdough starter successfully. Many people like to feed their sourdough starter a cheaper flour, particularly when in the establishment phase and going through quite a bit of it.

Should sourdough starter be all purpose or whole wheat? ›

All-purpose flour works great for feeding starter, but adding a little whole grain flour can help give it a boost if needed.

Can I feed my sourdough starter with just flour? ›

Once your starter is established, you can transition to feeding it 100% bread flour or all-purpose flour. An established starter (e.g., 14-30 days after creation) has a robust microbial population, and the feedings from that point forward are primarily providing the food, not additional microbes.

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