For awhile now I have been baking with a home-grown sourdough yeast starter. While learning has involved some trial and error, I have found that ultimately it is much easier and more convenient than using quick-acting dry yeast. Once you have learned the procedure it is simply second nature and fitting it into your day very easy.

So here are ten general things I have learned for working with a starter, in case anyone else is interested.

1.) Prepare In Advance

Making bread with a sourdough yeast starter is not the same as making bread with quick acting yeast from the store. It takes a much longer time to both proof and rise, so making sure of the timeframe in advance is important.

Proofing normally takes 2 to 8 hours, occasionally longer. Rising once will take 12 to 18 hours, occasionally longer. If you need a second rise it is shorter but still at least 5 hours. And of course the actual baking can take anywhere from 15 minutes, to 2 hours depending on what you are making.

So while actual work time is minimal, this is still a roughly two day process. Sourdough is very forgiving so this is very easy, but be sure of the timing of all the steps before you start, making sure you can work it into your daily schedule.

2.) Cheating is okay when you first start

If you are first getting started, getting a good reliable starter can come with a lot of trial and error. But it is ok to cheat and kickstart your sourdough with real yeast, distilled water, or even some alcohol.

A true sourdough starter is made with nothing more than water and whole grains or sometimes grapes, both of which contain natural wild yeasts. But getting the starter to develop the yeast is sometimes a bit elusive.

So throw in a pinch of store bought yeast. It will ensure the starter turns out and so long as you don't add too much can still mature into a great sourdough, even if for the first few weeks it lacks a strong sour tang.

Using distilled water (or pre-boiled filtered water) avoids getting any unhealthy bacteria or molds from the tap from getting into the starter and polluting it.

Another option is to add a small amount of some alcohol, either something distilled like vodka, or beer.

As an example of something that has worked very well for me - proof 1/16 tsp of dry yeast (just a pinch!) in 2 cups of distilled water, then stir in 2 cups of whole wheat unbleached flour and a splash of vodka. Leave on the counter in a covered bowl. For the next four days, throw out one cup of the starter, and replace it with one cup of flour, and one cup of water.

On the fifth day it should be lightly frothy, smell yeasty, and should be ready to use.

3.) Storing the Yeast Starter

For a container I prefer a simple sealed glass container, such as a jar for actually storing the starter, and I always make sure it has enough room to have a good buffer on top so it doesn't overflow and make a mess.

Where you store the starter is also important to making sure it survives. if you are going to use it regularly, keeping it in a sealed container in a cupboard can be fine, just be sure it stays below 80 degrees normally. Preferably 64 to 74 degrees. Anything 100 or above will kill the yeast.

If you don't have the time to use it every other day, you might find it best to simply store it in the Refrigerator. The cold doesn't kill the yeast, but it can help make it somewhat dormant, so it can last up to 10 days between uses. Often it can last even longer, but too much abuse will kill it.

(If you do keep it in the fridge however, it is best to let it warm on the counter for a good 15 to 30 minutes before use, so it is easier to pour.)

4.) Keep the Alcohol

Often times the starter may form a slightly brownish layer of alcohol on top between uses.

This is actually a very good thing. While you can throw the alcohol out safely, without it a yeast starter is a very inviting environment for all sorts of things you don't want to eat. Having the layer on top helps prevent them from getting in, and doesn't hurt the starter. Early on I tended to throw it out, and as a result once had mold form very quickly on the top of a young starter which ruined it.

So keep the alcohol, and just stir it back in before each use.

5.) No Metal utensils

For the same reason you want to keep the alcohol in the starter, avoid metal utensils. While it is much less common these days, metal can easily host nasty bacteria that can make you sick. Even a very tiny amount can grow in the starter over time. And nobody likes food poisoning.

Once the starter has matured this isn't very common because it is harder for new bacteria to grow, but it can still happen. Especially early on or during the proof phase when making a lot a once.

So just avoid metal, and be safe.

6.) Feeding the starter

Making a good starter is more effort then simply feeding an existing one, and a mature starter tends to taste better anyway. So make sure you always feed the starter.

If you are going to keep it in a cupboard, you have to feed it every other day. If you are keeping it in the fridge, at least once every 10 days.

The easiest way to handle this is to simply use it once a week, but if you can't for some reason just throw a cup away and replace it with flour and water.

7.) Larger batches, mean longer proof time.

With sourdough you are actually dealing with more than just yeast, you are also dealing with small harmless bacteria which are what give it the sour taste. Since they take longer to grow than the yeast when you have to make a large batch of sourdough bread you will need to set it out for longer periods of time in order to get the same sour taste.

How long comes with practice, and depends on your starter since some tend to be more sour than others, and different wild yeasts grow at different rates. But expect to add anywhere from one to four hours to proofing time if you are making larger batches.

8.) Sourdough isn't just for sourdough

Since the sourness in sourdough increases with longer proof times, a shorter proof time can result in a minimal sourness, which makes it more suitable for sweet breads or rolls.

Again, how much varies from starter to starter and even fluctuates with location, but once you get a feel you can make amazing pastries without too much effort.

9.) Failures are Okay.

Sourdough is much more forgiving than most things, and even a failure tends to come out tasting good anyway.

Once upon a time everyone used yeast starters, and all the recipes expected them. But in less than 200 years much of that has disappeared to be replaced with recipes designed for quick acting yeast. So if you can't find recipes that do what you want, feel free to experiment!

Often times you can simply try and adapt recipes.

The most common difference is liquid content. Your starter already has roughly one cup of water to every cup of flour in it. Remember that, and try to adapt the liquid content of other recipes. Even if you get it wrong and it is too sticky you can add more flour, and it will usually still turn out fine, if not as intended.

Even my failures tend to get positive responses. Just don't tell anyone it was a failure, and make sure you learn from your "mistakes". Or write them down so you can duplicate them later.

10.) It is okay to be imprecise.

With a quick bread timing is very important. You have to bake within minutes sometimes or it won't turn out. With a yeast bread, a little imprecision doesn't hurt, but if you aren't careful with rise times the bread may not turn out.

But with a sourdough, a lot of imprecision doesn't hurt either. Things may be different than you wanted, but they usually turn out plenty tasty anyway.

If you let your starter proof for a few minutes too long, it doesn't matter. If you proof for hours too long, it is still ok! You will just have a stronger sour taste.

If you let the dough rise a little too long, it is ok! Even if you let it rise for another 5 to 8 hours it will usually turn out, it just may be a denser bread. Which sometimes is what you want anyway.


I think that covers everything important, I hope you find this list useful.