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How to Make a Sourdough Starter From Scratch: A Beginner’s Day-by-Day Guide

Overhead view of an active sourdough starter in a glass jar, showing many small, uniform bubbles indicating readiness.
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Learn how to create your own active, bubbly sourdough starter using only flour and water. This guide provides simple daily steps for first time sourdough bakers to begin their sourdough journey.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g Whole Wheat or Rye Flour (for initial activation)
  • 100g All-Purpose Flour (for subsequent feedings)
  • 100g Unchlorinated Water (room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Day 1: Mix 50g of whole wheat or rye flour with 50g of room temperature water in a clean glass jar. Stir until fully combined. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature (68-75°F) for 24 hours.
  2. Day 2: You may see little to no activity. Discard half of the mixture. Add 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water to the remaining starter. Mix well, cover loosely, and wait 24 hours.
  3. Day 3: You should see some bubbles and perhaps a slight sour smell. Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. Wait 24 hours.
  4. Day 4: Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. At this stage, you might see more vigorous bubbling. Wait 24 hours.
  5. Day 5: Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. If the starter doubles in size within 6-8 hours after feeding, you are close to having an active sourdough starter. Wait 24 hours.
  6. Day 6: Discard half. Feed with 50g of all-purpose flour and 50g of water. If the starter consistently doubles and shows many bubbles, it is ready for baking. If not, continue the Day 5 feeding schedule once every 24 hours.
  7. Day 7 (and beyond): Once your starter reliably doubles in size within 4-8 hours after feeding, you have a mature, active sourdough starter. You can now switch to a 1:1:1 feeding ratio (starter:flour:water) when you plan to bake, or move it to the refrigerator for less frequent maintenance.

Notes

  • Use unchlorinated water; chlorine can slow down yeast activity.
  • Maintain a consistent room temperature between 68°F and 75°F for best fermentation results.
  • If you see mold, discard the entire batch and start over. A healthy starter smells yeasty or slightly acidic, not foul.
  • When storing your active sourdough starter in the refrigerator, feed it once per week.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://rosatasty.com/sourdough-starter-from-scratch-guide/