Receiving and Caring for a Starter Gift

Someone gave you sourdough starter. Maybe you have it now and don't know what to do. Here's the survival guide.

What you have

Sourdough starter is a living culture of wild yeast and lactobacillus bacteria in a flour-and-water medium. It's:

• Alive, but tough
• Hungry every 12–24 hours at room temperature
• Hibernates in the fridge
• Forgiving of small mistakes
• Will outlive you with proper care

The first day

When you receive starter:

1. Look at it. Does it have bubbles? Smell sour? Look healthy?
2. Move it to a glass jar or food-safe container with a loose lid.
3. Note the time.
4. Plan your first feeding within 12 hours.

If it traveled a long distance or sat at temperature extremes, it might be sluggish. Don't panic — feed it and watch.

Your first feeding

You'll need:

• A scale (digital, in grams)
• Bread flour
• Filtered or chlorine-free water (room temperature)

If your starter is approximately 50g:

1. Discard most. Save 25g.
2. Add 25g bread flour and 25g water.
3. Stir until smooth.
4. Cover loosely.
5. Mark the level on the jar with a rubber band.

What to expect

In 4–8 hours at room temperature, you should see:

• Bubbles throughout
• Doubling in size
• Slightly sour smell
• Domed top

This means it's healthy.

If it does nothing after 24 hours, give it another feeding.

If it does nothing after 48 hours of warm, well-fed conditions, you may need to start over with a fresh starter.

Daily routine

For an active counter starter:

• Feed every 12 hours
• Use 1:1:1 ratio (25g starter, 25g flour, 25g water)
• Discard the rest before each feeding
• Bake when it doubles within 4–8 hours of feeding

For a weekly fridge starter:

• Feed once
• Refrigerate within 1–2 hours after feeding
• Take out, feed twice over 24 hours before baking

When you'll first bake

Most starters from a healthy source are ready to bake immediately, after one or two feedings to confirm activity.

Plan your first bake for 3–5 days after receiving the starter, after you've established a routine and seen reliable activity.

Naming it (optional)

Many bakers name their starter. It's silly but harmless and helps you remember to feed it. Common names: Brad, Jeffrey, Dough-a Lipa, Audrey, Henrietta.

Your starter doesn't care what you call it. Naming makes it harder to forget.

Common mistakes

• Feeding immediately after refrigeration — give it 30 minutes to warm up first
• Using cold water — room temperature only
• Skipping the discard — your jar overflows, your starter weakens
• Trying to "save" all of it — discarding is normal and healthy
• Switching flours abruptly — gradual changes only
• Refrigerating before it's stable — wait until you see consistent activity

The fridge transition

After 1–2 weeks of counter feedings:

1. Feed normally
2. Wait 1–2 hours (let it start rising)
3. Cover with a loose lid
4. Refrigerate

It will keep 1–2 weeks easily. Some healthy starters survive 4+ weeks.

What to bake first

Don't try to bake a complex artisan loaf right away. Start with:

• Pancakes (easy, immediate feedback)
• Focaccia (forgiving, great-looking results)
• A simple country loaf (the standard learning project)

Save complex breads for after you have 5–10 bakes under your belt.

When something goes wrong

Most "problems" are normal:

• Hooch (gray liquid on top) — normal. Pour off or stir in.
• Stronger smell — usually normal. Means it's hungry.
• Color shift — normal as it adapts to your environment.
• Different rise pattern — normal as it adjusts.

Real problems:

• Pink or orange streaks — contamination. Start over.
• Fuzzy mold — contamination. Start over.
• Putrid smell — contamination. Start over.

The big picture

A starter is a relationship. It does best with consistency — same feeding times, same flour, same place in your kitchen. Within a few weeks, it'll behave predictably.

Within months, it becomes second nature. You'll forget what life was like before having a starter.

It's the single best gift in food. Pass it on when you can.