Welcome to Your Sourdough Journey!

You just received a living sourdough starter in the mail. Congratulations! This page will guide you through everything you need to know to keep your starter happy, active, and ready to bake.

📦 First Steps When You Receive Your Starter

Your sourdough starter has been traveling and needs some love! Follow these steps within 24 hours of receiving it:

  1. Check the Packaging Make sure the jar is sealed tight and hasn't leaked during transit. It's normal for the starter to look a bit "deflated" after its journey.
  2. Let It Breathe Remove the lid or loosen it to let air circulate. Your starter is alive and needs oxygen!
  3. Feed It Right Away Inside the jar, you'll find a small amount of dry flour at the bottom. Add ¼ cup (about 30g) of lukewarm water and stir well until the flour is absorbed. Then add ½ cup (about 60g) of all-purpose flour and mix until combined.
  4. Wait 12-24 Hours Cover loosely with a lid or cloth and let it sit at room temperature (70-80°F). It should start bubbling and rising within 12-24 hours.

🍽️ Feeding Schedule

To keep your starter healthy and active, you'll need to feed it regularly. Think of it as feeding a tiny pet!

If You Bake... Feed Every Store In
Daily or Several Times a Week Every day at the same time Room temperature (on counter)
Once a Week Once a week Room temperature
Occasionally (1-2x/month) Once a week Refrigerator

The Perfect Feed Ratio

1 part starter : 1 part flour : 1 part water

For example: 50g starter + 50g flour + 50g water

Always feed by weight for best results! A kitchen scale is your best friend.

🧪 How to Feed Your Starter

  1. Remove Half (Discard) Scoop out about half of your starter and discard it (or use it for pancakes, crackers, or pizza dough!).
  2. Add Fresh Flour Add equal parts flour (by weight) to what's remaining in your jar.
  3. Add Fresh Water Add equal parts lukewarm water to your jar.
  4. Mix Well Stir until all flour is incorporated and there are no dry spots.
  5. Let It Rise Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size (about 4-8 hours depending on room temperature).

💡 Pro Tip: The Float Test

Drop a small spoonful of your starter in a glass of water. If it floats, it's ready to bake with! If it sinks, give it more time to rise.

❄️ Storing Your Starter

Short-Term Storage (1-2 weeks)

If you don't plan to bake for a week or two, keep it in the refrigerator. Feed it once a week and it will stay happy. When you're ready to bake, take it out, feed it, and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours before using.

Long-Term Storage (1+ month)

You can keep a small amount of starter in the fridge for months with weekly feedings. Some bakers even freeze their starter or dry it into a powder for long-term storage!

⚠️ If Your Starter Hasn't Been Fed

If your starter has been sitting untouched for more than 2 weeks, it may look flat, separated, or have liquid on top (hooch). This is normal! Pour off the liquid, feed it again, and let it rise. It should bounce back within 2-3 feedings.

🔧 Troubleshooting

My starter smells bad - like acetone or nail polish remover

This is normal! It means your starter is hungry and needs to be fed. Give it a feeding and it should smell pleasant again within 24 hours.

There's pink or orange liquid or mold in my starter

Toss it immediately and start fresh. Pink/orange color indicates unwanted bacteria. Normal starter should be white, gray, or have brownish liquid on top (hooch).

My starter won't rise no matter what I do

Try feeding it more frequently (every 12 hours) for a few days. Make sure your water isn't chlorinated (let tap water sit out overnight). Also try feeding with whole wheat or rye flour occasionally.

My starter is too liquid/runny

This means it's been over-fed or it's too warm. Try discarding some and feeding with a thicker consistency. Less water = thicker starter.

My starter is too thick/dry

Add a bit more water at feeding time. A good starter should have the consistency of thick pancake batter.

✅ Signs of a Healthy Starter

🎉 Ready to Bake?

Now that you know how to care for your starter, it's time to make something delicious! Check out our recipes page for ideas ranging from simple pancakes to artisan sourdough bread.

View Our Recipes

💬 Questions?

We're here to help! If you have any questions about caring for your starter or need baking advice, don't hesitate to reach out.

Email: support@frequencysourdough.com
Website: frequencysourdough.com