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Sourdough starter, bubbling in a glass jar

Ingredients

  • Whole wheat or rye flour days 1-2, then all-purpose or bread flour
  • Water filtered, or tap water left to sit overnight if heavily chlorinated

Instructions

The 7-Day Process – Sourdough Starter for Beginners

Day 1

  1. Mix 50g whole wheat flour + 50g lukewarm water. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely, leave at room temperature (ideally 21-24C / 70-75F). Mark the level. Leave 24 hours.

Day 2

  1. Discard all but 50g. Add 50g all-purpose flour + 50g water. Stir, mark, wait 24 hours.
  2. Note: Why discard? Keeps acidity balanced. Use discard in pancakes, crackers, or flatbread — don’t waste it. Once your start is ready you can experiment with your sourdough starter.

Days 3-4

  1. More activity — bubbles throughout, slight sour smell, the mixture rising and falling. Keep discarding to 50g, feeding 50g flour + 50g water every 24 hours.

Days 5-6

  1. Visibly active — rising reliably, full of bubbles, smelling pleasantly sour (like yogurt or mild vinegar). Switch to twice-daily feeding if it peaks before 24 hours.

Day 7 — The float test

  1. Drop a small spoonful into water. If it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, give it another day or two. Don’t rush, patience here means better bread later.