Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Buy

What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a living culture of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria, maintained with flour and water. It's what makes sourdough bread rise without commercial yeast. When you feed it regularly, it stays alive and active indefinitely. Some of our cultures have been maintained for hundreds and even thousands of years.

What formats do you offer?

We offer both dehydrated (shelf-stable) and fresh liquid starters. Dehydrated is our most popular format. It ships easily anywhere in the world, has a long shelf life, and activates in about 5 days. Liquid starters arrive already alive and can be ready to bake with in 1 to 2 days. For a detailed comparison, see our blog post on dehydrated vs. liquid starters.

What's included with my order?

Every order includes a gently dehydrated (or fresh liquid) organic sourdough starter, a step-by-step activation guide, recipes, and full access to message me directly for any questions or help along the way. I usually respond within minutes.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes! We've shipped to over 55 countries and counting. Dehydrated starters are the best option for international orders because they're lightweight, shelf-stable, and aren't affected by long transit times or temperature changes during shipping.

My starter arrived but I can't start right away. Is that okay?

If you ordered a dehydrated starter, no rush at all. It's shelf-stable and can sit in your pantry for months (even longer) until you're ready. If you ordered a liquid starter, you should feed it within a day or two of arrival since it's a live, active culture that needs food.

How long does the dehydrated starter last before I need to activate it?

Dehydrated starters can remain viable for many months and sometimes years when stored in a cool, dry place. There's no expiration clock ticking. Activate it whenever you're ready.

Do you offer a gluten-free starter?

Yes! Our Gluten-Free Heritage Starter is made from our 240+ year San Francisco culture and is designed to be fed with brown rice flour or other gluten-free flours. See our blog post on Gluten Free Starters

Which starter should I choose?

If you're new to sourdough, our 200+ Year San Francisco Heritage Starter is our best seller and a great all-around choice. It's reliable, easy to work with, and produces a beautifully tangy loaf. If you want something with a unique backstory, our 4,500-Year-Old Egyptian Starter and 1,000-Year-Old Italian Monastery Starter are both incredible. For maximum sourness, try Sue's Sour or Black Death. Not sure? Message me and I'll help you pick.

Activating Your Starter

How do I activate my dehydrated starter?

Follow our step-by-step rehydration instructions. The process takes about 5 days. You'll add water and flour in gradually increasing amounts, and by Day 5 your starter should be bubbling and doubling in size. We also have a detailed blog post on rehydration with extra tips and troubleshooting.

How do I activate my liquid starter?

Transfer it to a clean jar, feed it with equal parts flour and water by weight, and let it ferment in a warm place. Repeat every 12 to 24 hours until it's bubbly and doubling in size. Full details are on our liquid starter instructions page. Most liquid starters are back to full strength within 1 to 2 days.

How long does it take to become active?

Dehydrated starters typically become fully active within 3 to 5 days. Liquid starters usually recover within 1 to 2 days. Temperature, flour type, and water quality all affect timing.

How do I know when it's ready to bake with?

Your starter is ready when it reliably doubles in size within 4 to 6 hours of feeding. It should be bubbly throughout, have a pleasant yeasty and slightly tangy smell, and look airy and webby when you tilt the jar.

Feeding and Maintenance

How often do I feed my starter?

If kept at room temperature, feed once every 24 hours (or every 12 hours in very warm kitchens). If stored in the fridge, feed once every 7 to 10 days. For a complete breakdown of feeding schedules and ratios, see our feeding schedule guide and our feeding ratios page.

What flour should I use?

Unbleached bread flour is our top recommendation for both activation and ongoing feeding. All-purpose flour works too. Whole wheat or rye can be mixed in occasionally to give the starter a nutritional boost. Avoid bleached flour and self-rising flour. For a full comparison of flour types, see our blog post on the best flour for sourdough starters.

What water should I use?

Use filtered tap water or spring water. Regular Brita-filtered water works great. Avoid distilled, purified bottled, or reverse osmosis water because they lack the minerals your starter needs. If your tap water smells like chlorine, filter it or let it sit uncovered for a few hours before using.

Do I have to discard starter every time I feed?

Yes, discarding before each feeding keeps the starter manageable and ensures there's enough fresh food for the remaining culture. But don't throw it away! Save it in a jar in the fridge and use it for discard recipes like pancakes, crackers, pizza dough, cookies, and more. 

How do I store my starter long-term?

For regular use, store it in the fridge with the lid tightened and feed once a week. For very long-term backup storage, you can dehydrate some of your active starter by spreading it thin on parchment paper, letting it dry completely, and storing the flakes in a sealed bag. Dried starter can last for months or even years.

How do I make my bread more sour?

Use whole wheat or rye flour for some or all of your feedings, feed less frequently (let the starter get hungrier between feeds), ferment in a slightly cooler environment, and extend your bulk fermentation time when making bread. Longer, slower fermentation produces more tang. Our feeding schedule guide covers this in more detail.

Troubleshooting

Why isn't my starter rising?

The two most common causes are a mixture that's too thin (the gas escapes instead of getting trapped) and a kitchen that's too cold (the yeast slows down below 68°F). Try adding more flour to thicken the consistency and moving the jar to a warmer spot. We have a full blog post covering 7 reasons your starter isn't rising and how to fix each one.

What's that dark liquid on top?

That's called hooch, an alcohol byproduct of fermentation. It's completely normal and just means your starter is hungry. You can pour off about half of it or stir it back in, then feed the starter. It should bounce right back.

What should my starter smell like?

A healthy, well-fed starter smells yeasty, tangy, and slightly fruity. A hungry starter smells more strongly sour or vinegary, which is normal and just means it needs to be fed. If it smells like nail polish remover (acetone), it's very hungry but still fine after a feeding. The only smell to worry about is a truly rotten or putrid odor, which is rare.

Can my starter go bad?

Sourdough starters are incredibly resilient. The only things that can truly ruin one are visible mold (fuzzy growth, pink, or orange spots on the surface) and extreme heat (above 120°F, which kills the yeast). If you see mold, discard the starter. Everything else, including hooch, strong smells, sluggish activity, and lack of rising, is almost always fixable. Please contact us before throwing your starter away. We can usually help you save it.

Can I freeze my starter?

You can, but dehydrating is the better option for long-term storage. Frozen starter can take longer to revive and some yeast may not survive the freezing process. Dehydrated flakes are more reliable and easier to store.

I think my starter is dead. What should I do?

It's probably not dead. Starters can look completely inactive and still come back with a few good feedings. Try feeding it twice daily for 2 to 3 days in a warm spot (75 to 80°F) with unbleached bread flour before giving up. If you're still stuck after that, message me and we'll figure it out together.