How to make a sourdough starter from scratch

A sourdough starter is just flour and water that wild yeast and bacteria have moved into. It needs nothing special, only patience and regular feeding. The hard part is reading it: knowing whether it is getting stronger, when it is hungry and when it is ready. Notes on each feed make that much easier.

A simple method, then sourdough tracker apps, with a section for sourdough apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking. Follow a trusted recipe for exact amounts. Throw a starter away if you see fuzzy mould or pink or orange streaks.

Sourdough apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus

A younger app from an independent developer:

Ranked by visit traffic and sponsorship on Censuus, not editorial opinion. The list changes as new apps appear and gain traffic.

Start simple

Mix flour and water in a clean jar, cover it loosely and leave it at room temperature. Whole grain flour often starts faster because it carries more natural yeast. Follow a trusted recipe for the amounts and stick to them, so you can tell what changes.

Feed it on a rhythm

At each feed, remove part of the starter and add fresh flour and water. Early on, it may bubble, go quiet and smell odd: that is normal while the right microbes take over. Keep feeding at the same times and it settles.

Keep notes and mark the jar

Put a rubber band or a mark at the level after feeding, and note how high it rises and how long it takes. Note the room temperature too: warmth speeds it up, cold slows it down. These notes tell you when the starter is strong enough to bake with.

Know when to start again

A layer of liquid on top just means it is hungry. Fuzzy mould or pink or orange streaks mean it should be thrown away. Compare tools in sourdough starter tracker apps.

Compared from each developer’s own store description.
Stage	What you do	What you look for
1. Mix	flour and water in a clean jar	a thick paste
2. Wait	loosely covered, at room temperature	first bubbles
3. Feed	discard some, add fresh flour and water	regular rhythm
4. Watch it rise	mark the level after each feed	rises and falls predictably
5. Bake	use it at its peak	bubbly, domed, pleasantly sour

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a sourdough starter?

Mix flour and water in a clean jar, leave it loosely covered at room temperature and feed it regularly by removing some and adding fresh flour and water until it rises predictably.

How do I know my starter is ready?

It rises and falls predictably after feeding, is full of bubbles and smells pleasantly sour.

When should I throw my starter away?

If you see fuzzy mould or pink or orange streaks. A layer of liquid on top only means it needs feeding.