How to Create a New Sourdough Starter

The ULTIMATE Guide

By Tom Cucuzza
The Sourdough Journey © November 2023

PART 1: Detailed Guide – Create a New Starter in 10 Days

PART 2: How to Read Your Sourdough Starter
PART 3: The First 10 Days of a Sourdough Starter
PART 4: Top 10 Troubleshooting Tips
PART 5: The Stall Point Test
PART 6: 10-Day Log
PART 7: Two-Page Instructions and Log Sheet
 How to Create a Sourdough Starter
By Tom Cucuzza, The Sourdough Journey © 2023
My method for creating a new starter is based on the general method from Chad Robertson’s Tartine
Bread, with some unique modifications based on my experience.

You can watch my full-length YouTube video, “How to Create a Sourdough Starter” for step-by-step
details. The video includes examples of what your starter should look like in the first nine days. Also
consult The Sourdough Journey website at thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-creation for more tips,
videos, and FAQs.

If you follow these instructions, you have a very high likelihood of creating a viable sourdough starter in
10-14 days. Every starter is unique. Yours may develop more quickly or more slowly than the guidance.

The chart below is a summary of the process. A full-size, printable version is included at the end of this
document.

TOOLS
To create your sourdough starter, you need a food-safe jar with a lid. I recommend a wide-mouth, one-
pint (500ml) glass canning jar with a plastic screw top lid. You can use any food-safe container with
loose-fitting, solid lid. Do not cover your starter jar with coffee filters, paper towels, or cheesecloth.

You will also need a digital kitchen scale. The flour and water should be weighed, in grams. If you don’t
have a scale, you will eventually need one for sourdough baking, so it makes sense to purchase a scale
now. Trying to use volume-based measurements, like cups, is very imprecise and will not produce the
best results with your starter or your loaves.

1 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

INGREDIENTS
The only ingredients you need to create a sourdough starter are flour and water!

Flour

When creating a new sourdough starter, it is essential to use at least 50% whole wheat flour or 25% rye
flour. The remaining 50% or 75% can be bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a blend of 50%
whole wheat flour and 50% bread flour.

Many starter recipes suggest you can create a new sourdough starter by using 100% bread flour or 100%
all-purpose flour. Do not follow these recipes. They have a very high failure rate if you exclude the
whole wheat or rye flour.

Always choose fresh, unbleached flours. Organic is preferred but not required.

Prepare a 50/50 blend of whole-wheat flour and bread flour.

Mix:

• 300 grams whole-wheat flour

• 300 grams bread flour (You can substitute all-purpose flour if necessary).

Blend these dry flours in a covered kitchen storage container. You will use this 50/50 flour blend to feed
your starter for the first 10 days.

Why use two types of flour?

Dormant, wild yeast cells exist in nature, and they are attached to the outside shell, or hull, of wheat
berries in the field. When whole-wheat flour is milled, the yeast cells (and their microbial companion –
lactic acid bacteria cells), end up in your bag of flour.

When all-purpose flour or bread flour is milled, the hull (and most of the beneficial microbes) are
removed and discarded at the mill. However, these refined flours are more easily converted into sugars
– the food for the microbes.

In your 50/50 blend of flours, the whole-wheat flour provides the “bugs,” and the bread flour provides
the “food.” It is the prefect combination for growing a new starter.

Water

You should use unchlorinated water to feed your starter. I use kitchen tap water, run through a water
filter to de-chlorinate it. You can use spring water, bottled water, or other de-chlorinated water. Distilled
water is not recommended. Some reverse osmosis (RO) filters can strip essential minerals from water.
Home bakers have mixed results with reverse osmosis water. If you have an RO filter, I’d suggest trying it,
but if your starter seems sluggish, try a different source. Generally speaking, any water that you would
drink will work with your sourdough starter, but some are better than others.

2 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

THE SCHEDULE
The following “daily” schedule is based on a 24-hour cycle. However, always remember – your starter
does not know what time it is.

Many popular starter feeding schedules adhere to strict timing of the feedings (e.g., “every 24 hours,” or
“every 12 hours”). My method uses a general daily feeding schedule, but the key to this method is
learning to read the starter to determine the optimal time to feed it. If your starter is developing ahead
of schedule, you may feed it sooner, if it is slower than expected, you may skip a feeding. Follow the
instructions below to learn how to observe your starter, and determine when it is ready for re-feeding.

In the 10-14 days it takes to create a new starter, your fledgling starter will experience long periods of
inactivity. Be patient. It is always better to feed a new starter “too late” versus “too early.” When in
doubt, always watch and wait. It is never a bad idea to give your starter more time between feedings.
It is impossible to starve your starter to death. It is very possible to weaken your starter by overfeeding
it and being impatient.

If your starter is not following the timeline described below, always err on the side of giving it more time
between feedings, versus less time. You can’t force-feed a starter to make it grow faster.

THE “WATCH AND WAIT” METHOD

Your goal is to create a strong sourdough starter. You will do this by growing a large, healthy yeast
population. Your job is not only to feed the starter, but also to optimally time the feedings by “watching
and waiting.”

Watching – for bubbles

Unless you have a microscope in your kitchen, you cannot see or count the yeast cells in your starter, but
yeast cells create carbon dioxide when they eat, and carbon dioxide creates bubbles in your starter. The
bubbles are evidence of the size and health of your yeast population. You want to see growing bubble
activity each day because more bubbles indicate that your yeast population is growing!

The bubble activity will tell you when your starter is eating and reproducing. Yeast cells do not eat in
secret. Yeast cells always create bubbles when they eat. If you do not see any bubble activity, this means
the yeast cells have not yet eaten the flour from the last feeding – they still have a full plate of food.

Waiting – to feed at the right time

In the early days of creating a new starter, you will see many days of very minimal activity. Be patient. If
you feed your starter and it does not produce any bubbles before the next schedule feeding time, just
give it more time.

During these days of minimal activity, some people grow impatient and believe they can speed up their
starter’s growth by discarding and refeeding it more frequently. This is the biggest mistake you can
make with a new sourdough starter. Discarding and refeeding a weak starter before it shows increasing
bubble activity can make it weaker!

There is one exception to this general rule. You will read more about the “Stall Point Test” in the
troubleshooting section of this document.

3 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

THE FIRST 10 DAYS OF CREATING A NEW SOURDOUGH STARTER
All new sourdough starters go through a very similar growth cycle in the first 10 days. The cycle is
depicted on the charts and described in detail here.

DAYS 1-3: STAGE 1 - ACTIVATING THE MICROBES

Day 1 – The Initial Mix

Create your initial mix by combining 75g of your flour blend with 75g of water in a jar. Stir the mix
vigorously. Your starter should be a thick enough consistency that if you turn the jar upside-down, the
mix will not pour out. Scrape down the sides of your jar and clean the rim. Seal the jar with a loose-
fitting lid. Put your jar it in a slightly cool (68F/20C) place, if possible. In this step, you are rehydrating
and reactivating the dormant yeast cells and lactic acid bacteria cells that are naturally found on the
flour (mostly the whole-wheat flour).

Day 2 – A Few Bubbles

24 hours after the initial feeding, inspect your starter. You should start to see some bubbles forming on
the surface. This is a good sign. Your starter may emit all kinds of strange odors in the first few days
(e.g., cheese, alcohol, dirty socks, vomit). This is normal. Let it rest for another day.

If your starter is drying out on top, or if you see clear liquid separating on the top, middle or bottom of
your stater, stir it up every 12 or 24 hours.

What is the clear liquid in my starter?

In the early days, you will often see a clear layer of liquid forming on the top, middle, or bottom of your
starter. This is water separation, and it is commonly found in new, weak starters.

It is easy to mistake this clear liquid for “hooch.” Hooch is a type of alcohol that forms on top of a very
mature starter when it has vigorously risen and fallen and has consumed all the flour. It is virtually
impossible for a new starter to produce hooch. Ignore people or guidance telling you your clear liquid is
hooch (which is an indication of a hungry starter). Hooch only occurs in mature starters. Your starter still
has plenty of food. Stir it up and be patient.

Day 3 – The False Rise

48 hours after the initial feeding, inspect your starter. On Day 3 (or sometimes Day 2), you will see a lot
of activity and frothy bubbles on top. Sometimes the starter will vigorously rise in the jar. This is a false
rise. It is not the yeast rising. It is bad bacteria burning off of the flour. Although it looks strong, your
starter is not ready to use. It will take another 7-10 days to flush out the bad bacteria and slowly build
the yeast population. Your starter may smell disgusting during the false rise. This is normal.

Do not discard or feed on Day 3. Your yeast population is still growing. You want to give your starter 72
hours after the initial feeding, before your first discard and refeeding. This guidance is different than
many other methods which may tell you to feed and/or discard in the early days, but the three-day
activation period, without discard or feeding, is the key to getting your starter off to a strong start.

4 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

If, at the beginning of Day 3 (48 hours after the initial mixing), your starter has vigorously risen and
fallen, and all the bubbles have disappeared (this would be very uncommon), then your starter is ahead
of schedule, and you should follow the discard and feeding instructions from Day 4.

What about mold?

Mold spores are everywhere in our environment, including in bags of flour. When creating a new starter,
there is always a risk of mold growth until the starter is fully established (around Day 10). Keep an eye
out for mold growth on the surface of your starter.

However, also keep in mind, that whole wheat flour contains black specks, it is made from “red wheat”
which can give it a pinkish hue, and when it forms bubbles on the surface, the bubbles can be white.
When whole wheat flour dries out or oxidizes, it may turn dark brown.

The type of mold you are looking for is generally the classic, gray, fuzzy stuff that you would see on stale
bread or old cheese. It is unmistakable. Red, orange and yellow bacteria can also occur, but is even less
common than mold. You will know it when you see it.

If you find mold in your starter, you need to dispose of it, sterilize your tools and start again. It is
uncommon but does happen from time to time.

DAYS 4-6: STAGE 2 - THE QUIET DAYS

After seeing the vigorous bubble activity of the “false rise” in the first few days, many bakers become
discouraged when their starter then becomes very quiet, with little activity around Day 4. This is
perfectly normal. This period is known as the “quiet phase” as the bad bacteria have subsided, and the
yeast begins the hard work of slowly reproducing and building its population.

Day 4 – First Discard and Feeding

72 hours after the initial feeding, inspect your starter. The “false rise” may still be peaking, or it may
have subsided.

First Discard and Feeding – Discard approximately 80% of the contents of the jar (keep 25g of carryover
starter). Feed the 25g of carryover starter with 50g of your flour blend and 50g water. Stir it vigorously.
Scrape down the sides of your jar. Cover it with a loose-fitting lid. Mark the height of your starter, after
mixing, on your jar with a marker or rubber band.

This blend of carryover starter, flour and water is known as a 1:2:2 feeding ratio, with one part starter,
two parts flour, and two parts water, by weight, in grams. You will follow this ratio for 10-14 days.

From Day 4 forward, your starter can benefit from being kept slightly warmer. Try to keep it between
75F/24C and 80F/27C, if possible. If your kitchen is cooler, the process will still work, but the timing may
be slower than indicated here. Never maintain your starter above 80F/27C for long periods of time. You
won’t kill your starter until it reaches 130F/54C, but keeping it above 80F/27C can make it very acidic.
Do not keep your starter in the oven with the light on. Too many people bake their new starters.

Also, do not save your discard for the first 10 days. It can contain undesirable bacteria.

If you have not yet seen any bubble activity on the surface since the initial feeding on Day 1, your starter
is likely not going to activate. Restart the process using a different bag of whole wheat flour.

5 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

Day 5 – Surface Bubbles

On Day 5, you should see bubbles on the surface of your starter, but it may be fewer bubbles than you
saw during the “false rise.” This is common and is perfectly normal.

Inspect your starter. If you do not see any bubbles, stir it up and wait 12 to 24 hours. This is the most
critical time to be patient. Premature discarding and refeeding at this point will weaken your starter.

When you discard, you are removing 80% of the nascent yeast population you are trying to grow. The
yeast needs to re-grow its population by 400%, just to get back to the pre-discard population! Give it
time to do its work.

When you see some bubble activity on the surface, you can discard approximately 80% (keep 25g of
carryover starter) and feed it 50g flour and 50g water. Stir it vigorously. Scrape down the sides of the jar
and cover it with a loose-fitting lid.

Day 6 – More Bubble Activity on the Surface

On Day 6, you should see more vigorous bubble activity on top of your starter than you saw on Day 5. If
you do not see more activity, then wait until you see increased activity before discarding and refeeding.
You may need to wait 6 hours, 12 hours, or 24 hours longer than expected. Ignore the clock, watch for
increased bubble activity over the previous day’s activity.

When you see increased bubble activity on the surface, you can discard approximately 80% (keep 25g of
carryover starter) and feed it 50g flour and 50g water. Stir it vigorously. Scrape down the sides of the jar
and cover it with a loose-fitting lid. Do not save your discard until at least Day 10 it can contain harmful
bacteria.

DAYS 7-10+: STAGE 3 – SLOW STRENGTHENING

Day 7 – The First Rise

On Day 7, inspect your starter. After the feeding on Day 6, you should see your starter beginning to rise
in height/volume. You should wait until your starter rises, peaks, and begins falling (i.e., “past peak”)
before refeeding. However, some starters will not fall after peaking in height. If the peak is reached and
has plateaued for a few hours but not fallen, this is still considered “past-peak.”

If your starter is not rising in height, look for “peak bubble activity” on the surface of the starter.

You should not discard and refeed until the starter is past-peak height, or the bubbles are receding.
When in doubt, it is always better to feed your starter “too late” rather than “too early.” You can even
wait until your starter completely falls flat and the bubbles have subsided before refeeding. Don’t worry
about your starter “starving” in these early days. It is nearly impossible. If you choose to skip a feeding
entirely, stir up your starter and wait 24 hours.

After your starter is clearly “past peak,” (in volume and/or bubble activity), discard 80% (keep 25g) and
refeed your starter 50g of flour and 50g of water. Stir it vigorously, scrape down the sides, and cover it
with a loose-fitting lid.

6 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

What if my starter is not doing anything by Day 7?

If your starter is showing minimal bubble activity by Day 7, your starter may have reached a “stall point.”

You can perform a test to determine if your starter has stalled. See the troubleshooting section at the
end of this document for instructions on how to perform the Stall Point Test.

Day 8-10+ – Faster Rising Times

You should see your starter rising each day now. Monitor your starter and not how long it takes for your
starter to rise and peak in height after feeding. Each day, your starter should peak more quickly than the
previous day. This indicates the growing strength of your starter. Also, note the temperature of your
starter, as warm starters will rise faster than cool starters.

For Day 8-10, follow the same steps as indicated on Day 7. Inspect your starter and wait until the starter
is clearly “past peak” in volume and/or bubble activity before discarding and refeeding. When it is
clearly “past peak,” discard 80% and feed it 50g flour and 50g water.

When is my starter ready for baking?

The “standard test” of a starter’s readiness for baking is when it is roughly doubling in volume in 4-6
hours after a 1:1:1 feeding (equal parts starter, flour and water) at 74F/23C.

With this method, we are using a 1:2:2 feeding ratio, so your target rise time may be 4-7 hours after
feeding.

A cooler starter will rise more slowly. This does not mean it is weaker – it is just cooler. A strong starter
that doubles in volume at 74F/23C in 6 hours may require 10 hours to double at 65F/18C. The starter is
not “weaker,” – it is just cooler.

Also, some starters will not double in volume. The height of the rise is a function of the type of flour, the
hydration, and other factors. You should be focused more on the speed to peak than the height of the
rise. A fast-rising starter that doubles in four hours is stronger than a slow-rising starter that triples in
eight hours.

You typically want to see your starter passing the rising test for three consecutive days before using it for
baking. After your starter has passed the test, you can use it to make your first loaf, but the rising times
may be slower than indicated because your starter is immature. Adjust your timing expectation and get
started baking! Your starter will continue strengthening during its first 30 days.

You can also begin saving your discard once it has passed the “ready to bake” test. You can find recipes
that use sourdough discard to add a unique flavor to all kinds of baked goods. There are also ways to
reduce or eliminate discard once your starter has matured.

What about mold after Day 10?

After 10 days, a mature starter has a low pH (high acidity) that will repel mold and other pathogens. If
your starter gets moldy, you must throw it away and start again. Mold is much less of a risk in a mature
starter. It is uncommon, but it does happen from time to time. Once your starter is ready for baking,
store a jar of your starter in the back of your refrigerator. This is your “insurance policy.” If something
goes wrong with your main starter you can recover it from your backup jar. Replace that jar monthly.

7 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

TROUBLESHOOTING AND TIPS
Periodically check my website’s Starter Creation Page for updates, FAQs, troubleshooting tips and new
videos.

NEXT STEPS
Once your starter is established, check out thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-maintenance to begin
the next stage of your sourdough journey!

HELP KEEP THE JOURNEY GOING!

If you found this guide helpful, please consider making a donation to The Sourdough Journey at
https://thesourdoughjourney.com/donate

All content at The Sourdough Journey is free and ad-free. The site is supported entirely through
donations.

8 The Sourdough Journey © 2023

 How to Read a New Sourdough Starter
By Tom Cucuzza, The Sourdough Journey© October 2023
A Few Bubbles (Day 1) More Bubbles (Day 2-6) A Frothy “False Rise” (~Day 2-4)

Surface Bubbles (Day 3-10) Vigorous Bubbles (Days 3-10) Decreasing/Subsiding Bubbles

Bubbling and Rising (Day 7-10) Past-Peak, Concave (Days 7-10) “Doubling” (Day 10-14)

Water Separation (Day 1-10) Hooch (Day 10+) Clear Liquid?

Clear liquid on the top, middle or
bottom of a new starter, in the early
days, is water separation – a sign of a
weak starter.

Clear liquid on top of a mature starter

that has vigorously risen and fallen and
consumed all its food – is hooch
(alcohol) – a sign of a hungry starter.

Water separation and hooch can look

exactly the same! Hooch only occurs in
a mature, strong starter.
 The First 10 Days of a New Sourdough Starter – The Sourdough Journey © 2023
Day 1: Initial Mix Day 2: Do Nothing

A stiff mix. Smells like flour. No rise. A few surface bubbles. Smells like flour.
Day 3: Do Nothing Day 4: Discard and Feed

The “False Rise” typically occurs on Day 2 or 3. Vigorous First discard and feed after Day 1. The False Rise subsides.
growth and foul odors from a “bacterial bloom.” This is not Starter may smell like old cheese, dirty socks, vomit, etc.
yeast activity.
Day 5: Discard and Feed Day 6: Discard and Feed

No rise. A few surface bubbles. Foul odors. Clear liquid on No rise. A few more surface bubbles. Foul odors.
the surface on Days 1-7 is water separation. Stir it up. Typically the last of the “Quiet Days.”
Day 7: Discard and Feed Day 8: Discard and Feed

Starter begins rising in height. Vigorous surface bubbles. The starter beings rising faster and higher. Sweet, ripe, and
Begins to smell sweet, ripe, and yeasty. yeasty smelling.
Day 9: Discard and Feed Day 10: Ready to Bake?

The starter continues rising faster. Sweet, ripe, yeasty, and Starter peaks (roughly doubles) in 4-7 hours after 1:2:2
slightly acidic. Feeding at 74F/23C
Initial Mix: 38g Whole Wheat Flour, 37g Bread Flour, 75g Filtered Water
Discard and Feed: Keep 25g Carryover Starter, Feed 50g Flour Blend and 50g Water
Do not save your discard until your starter passes the Ready-to-Bake Test
 Top 10 Troubleshooting Tips for New Sourdough Starters
By Tom Cucuzza, The Sourdough Journey © October 2023
1. Use the right ingredients:
• Always use 50% whole-wheat flour. The balance can be all-purpose or bread flour. It
is difficult to create a new starter with 100% all-purpose or bread flour. You can
substitute 25% rye flour for the whole wheat. Use the freshest, unbleached flours.
• Use non-chlorinated water (e.g., filtered, bottled, de-chlorinated – but not distilled).
• Don’t add other ingredients. Pineapple juice, sugar, honey, raisin water and packaged
yeast are unnecessary.
2. Weigh your ingredients in grams. Do not use cups. Feed equal parts flour and water by weight.
Keep a small quantity (less than 150g), otherwise you are just creating a lot of waste. After the
initial mix, discard 80% and use a 1:2:2 feeding ratio (e.g., 25g starter, 50g flour, 50g water).
3. Don’t save your discard for at least the first 10 days. Assuming your starter is ready for baking
in 10 days, it will then naturally repel foreign pathogens. It needs time to build “immunity.”
4. Understand the timeline. Creating a starter is mostly “watching and waiting”
• Days 1-3: Activate the Microbes: Unpredictable activity, weird odors, and often a “false
rise” (a vigorous, one-time rise on day 1-3)
• Days 4-6: The Quiet Days: Slow bubble growth on the surface
• Days 7-10+: Slow Strengthening: Gradually increasing rising strength
5. Be Patient! Premature discarding and overfeeding will weaken your starter and elongate the
process. Don’t discard and re-feed a weak starter before it shows increasing bubble activity or
height from the previous feeding. If you don’t see more bubbles or a faster rise each day, skip
a feeding, and give it more time. Death by starvation is nearly impossible. Overfeeding is the
bigger problem.
6. Clear liquid is not “hooch.” If you see clear liquid on the top, middle or bottom of your starter,
it is water separation. Stir it up. Hooch (alcohol) only occurs in a strong, mature starter.
7. Temperature matters. Try to keep your starter warm but not too warm (always under
80F/27C). Cooler temperatures will slow down the process, but it will still work. Be patient.
8. Doubling is overrated. Some starters double, some triple, some don’t double. Look for a fast
rising time (peaking in height 4-7 hours after feeding) not the height of the rise.
9. It is difficult to kill a starter. Be on the lookout for mold in the first 10 days. Mold, heat (over
130F/54C) and bleach are the only things that can kill your starter. Don’t panic if you don’t
follow the steps exactly.
10. Every starter is unique. Creating a starter is a biological process and every bag of flour
produces a unique starter. All instructions are general guidelines.

When is it ready? – A new starter is ready for baking when it approximately doubles in volume in 4-7
hours after a 1:2:2 feeding at 74F/23C. Cooler starters will rise more slowly but can be just as strong.

Let nature do the work for you. If you combine whole-wheat flour and water in a jar, it is uncommon
for it to not turn into a sourdough starter. Be patient and stay out of the way.

For details instructional videos and FAQ’s visit The Sourdough Journey website at
thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-creation
 Troubleshooting a New Sourdough Starter
The “Stall Point” Test
By Tom Cucuzza, The Sourdough Journey © October 2023
In the typical lifecycle of a sourdough starter, you will often see vigorous activity in days 1-3 of creating a
new starter. This activity is the “bacterial bloom” where all of the different types of bacteria from your
bag of flour are fighting for dominance. This is a “false rise” and is often mistaken for strong yeast
activity. It is not.

After that initial surge of activity, your starter will typically then “go quiet” for three days of slow growth
(typically days 4, 5 and 6). If, by Day 7, you are still seeing minimal (or no) bubble activity, your starter
may have hit a “stall point.”

The stall point can occur due to three issues:

1) Low yeast population – Some bags of flour contain fewer microbes

2) Timing - Discarding and feeding per a fixed schedule is weaking your starter, or
3) Acidity - Your starter has become very acidic, and the acid is choking off the yeast production.

If your starter is not showing significant bubble activity by the end of Day 6 (the Day 7 feeding time). I
suggest performing the Stall Point Test.

The Stall Point Test

The test requires three jars:

Jar #1) Your main starter jar

Jar #2) A jar for your Day 7 discard / un-fed starter

Jar #3) A jar for a “micro-feeding”- acidity test

To perform the test, on Day 7:

• Step 1: Remove all but 25g of starter from your main jar, and move that discarded starter to Jar
#2.
• Step 2: Feed your main starter (Jar #1) the normal feeding (50g flour blend and 50g water).
• Step 3: In a clean jar (Jar #3), add 30g of water. Dip a spoon in the discard (Jar #2) coating the
front and back of the spoon (about 5 grams). Stir that spoon in Jar #3 until the spoon is clean
and it is dissolved in the water. Add 30g of your flour blend to Jar #3 and stir it up. Jar #3 is now
a “micro-feeding” of your main starter with a much higher feeding ratio (about a 1:6:6 ratio).

The Three Samples

You now have three samples for the test:

Jar #1 – Your main starter with a fresh feeding (25g carryover, 50g flour, and 50g water)

Jar #2 – Your main starter, unfed (100g of discard from your main starter)

Jar #3 – Your main starter with a very high feeding ratio (~5g discard, 30g flour and 30g water)
Observe and compare the bubble activity (or rising) of the three samples in 24 hours.

Jar #1 is your baseline sample

Observe your baseline sample compared to previous days (is it growing?) and compare its activity to Jar
#2 and Jar #3.

Jar #2 Feeding Interval Test

After 24 hours, if Jar #2 shows more activity than Jar #1, this indicates that the unfed “discard” is more
active than the “fed” starter. This means your 24-hour feeding frequency is too short. Your main starter
will benefit from and strengthen with a longer feeding interval (e.g., 36 or 48 hours). This result is
common if your kitchen is cold. Your starter simply needs more time to strengthen before each discard
and feeding. Stretch out your discard and feeding times to 36 or 48 hours. Watch for peak bubble
activity.

If Jar #2 shows less activity than Jar #1, in 24 hours, this confirms that your feeding interval is not an
issue. Dispose of the contents of Jar #2.

Jar #3 Acidity Test (24 and 48 hour tests)

If Jar #3 shows more activity in 24 hours than Jar #1, this confirms that your main starter is too acidic,
and it will benefit from a higher feeding ratio, which reduces the acidity.

If Jar #3 shows less activity in 24 hours than Jar #1, let this sample continue, as is for another 24 hours.

If Jar #3 shows more activity in 48 hours than Jar #1, it confirms that your main starter is too acidic, and
it will benefit from a higher feeding ratio, which reduces the acidity.

If Jar #3 shows less activity in 48 hours than Jar #1, it confirms that your starter is not stalled due to
acidity.

If Jar #3 shows more activity in 24 or 48 hours than your main starter, you should dispose of your main
starter and use 25g of starter from Jar #3 as the carryover for your main starter at the next feeding.

If your starter is acidic, it will likely be sufficiently de-acidified from the one-time high feeding ratio, and
you can continue with the normal 1:2:2 feeding ratio per the original schedule. If the starter stalls out
again, then carryover 10g of starter and feed it 50g flour and 50g water per day (1:5:5) ratio instead of
the 1:2:2 ratio, going forward.

If both Jar #2 and Jar #3 look better than your main starter, choose the best looking of those two, and
use that as your new, main starter.
 How to Create a New Sourdough Starter: 2-Page Guide and Log
The Sourdough Journey – November 2023 ©

Tools
A one-pint (500 ml) wide-mouth jar with a lid.

Ingredients
50% Whole-Wheat Flour, 50% Bread Flour, non-chlorinated water. For best results, do not substitute other flours!

Prepare Your Flour Blend

Mix 300g of whole-wheat flour with 300g of bread flour in a food storage container. This dry flour blend is your
starter’s food source for the first 10 days.

Schedule and Guidance

Follow the feeding schedule below. Document your observations each day. Each day includes a description of
what you may typically see. Every starter is different. Some are faster than others. But all starters eventually go
through the phases described below. Use this as a rough indication of what you may expect each day.

DAYS 1-3: Activate the Microbes

Day 1 – Initial Mix

Add 75g of water to your jar. Add 75g of your flour blend to the jar and mix vigorously. Cover with a loose-fitting
lid. Do not discard or feed your starter for 72 hours.

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 2
Do Not Feed

Some bubble activity and usually no rise. Smells like flour. If the surface is drying out, or you see water separation
on top, middle or bottom, stir it up.

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 3
Do Not Feed

You may see a “false rise” on Day 1-3. This vigorous rise is not yeast activity. It is a bacterial bloom. If the surface is
drying out, or you see water separation on top, middle, or bottom, stir it up.

DAYS 4-7: The “Quiet Days”

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 4
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
False rise subsides. First discard and refeeding. Starter may smell like old cheese, dirty socks, vomit, or acetone.

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 5
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
No rise. A few surface bubbles. Thin layer of water separation on top, middle or bottom (Days 4-6).
Day 6 – Discard and Feed

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 6
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
No rise. A few more surface bubbles. Foul odors. Typically the last of the “Quiet Days.”

Day 7 – Discard and Feed

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 7
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
Starter begins rising in height. Vigorous surface bubbles. Beings to smell sweet, ripe and yeasty.

DAYS 8-10+: Slow Strengthening

Day 8 – Discard and Feed

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 8
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
Starter begins rising faster and higher. Smells sweet, rise and yeasty. May peak in 7-10 hours.

Day 9 – Discard and Feed

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 9
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
Starter continues rising faster. Sweet, ripe, yeasty, and slightly acidic. May peak in 6-8 hours.

Day 10 – Discard and Feed

% Rise / Time
Day/Date Time Feeding Temp Surface Activity Aroma to Peak
Day 10
Discard 80%. Keep
25g, Feed 50g Flour
and 50g Water
Starter peaks (roughly doubles) in 4-7 hours after 1:2:2 feeding at 74F/23C

“Ready to Bake” Test

Your starter should roughly double in volume after a 1:2:2 feeding in 4-7 hours at 74F/23C. You should see 3
consecutive days of fast rising before using your starter for baking. You can also keep your discard when it passes
this test.