How to Maintain a Sourdough Starter (The Simple Method)

When I started going through Grandma’s recipe collection, I kept finding sourdough recipes tucked throughout — sourdough pancakes, sourdough bread, sourdough biscuits. It was clear she baked with it regularly. But unlike her other recipes, there were no instructions for the starter itself. It was just assumed you had one.

During the pandemic I finally decided to make my own, inspired by all those recipes waiting to be used. I followed King Arthur Flour’s guide to get it started, and honestly it has been one of the best things I’ve ever done in the kitchen. Now I use it constantly — for pancakes, muffins, skillet bread, and everything in between.

If you are new to sourdough, maintaining a starter sounds intimidating. I promise it is not. Once you understand what you are looking at, it becomes second nature. This guide covers everything you need to know to keep your starter healthy and active in the fridge — no daily feeding required.

What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a live culture of wild yeast and bacteria that you feed with flour and water. It’s what makes sourdough baked goods rise and gives them that distinctive tangy flavor. Unlike commercial yeast, a starter is something you keep alive and use over and over again — some sourdough starters have been passed down through families for generations.

What is the sourdough hooch, and should I be worried?

When you pull your starter out of the fridge you might notice a gray or dark liquid sitting on top. This is called hooch, and it is completely normal! Hooch is the alcohol produced when the wild yeast ferments. It just means your starter is hungry and ready to be fed. You can either drain it off or stir it back in — both are fine.

How to Maintain a Sourdough Starter (The Simple Method) — My starter a day after I took it out of the fridge!

How to maintain a sourdough starter step by step:

Remove your starter from the fridge and take off the lid.
Drain or stir in the hooch — that gray liquid on top is normal, don’t panic!
Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and allow it to come to room temperature, about 3–4 hours.
Discard or keep. Once at room temperature you can remove a portion and discard it, or just feed what you have. I usually just feed it without discarding unless I have a lot built up.
Feed your starter. I use 1 cup warm water and 1 cup unbleached flour. Stir it in well.
Cover with a NON-airtight lid — a tea towel works perfectly — and let it sit 8–12 hours. Overnight works great.
It should be bubbly and active and ready to use. Give it one more stir before using, and optionally feed it once more to make sure it is fully activated.

Sourdough Starter Tips and Tricks

Never use an airtight lid on the counter. Your starter needs airflow to breathe. Only seal it airtight when storing in the fridge.
The microwave light trick. I keep my starter under my microwave light overnight when I’m activating it — the warmth from the light is just enough to keep it cozy without overheating it.
Plan ahead before baking. If your starter has been in the fridge, take it out and activate it a day or two before you plan to bake with it.
Don’t throw away your discard! Sourdough discard is incredibly versatile. Use it in pancakes, muffins, crackers, and more. I have a whole collection of sourdough discard recipes you can browse.
Gray liquid is not mold. Hooch just means it’s hungry. Mold will look fuzzy and pink or orange — if you see that, unfortunately, it’s time to start fresh.

What to make with your Sourdough Starter

Once your starter is active and bubbly, the fun begins! Here are some of my favorite recipes to make with sourdough discard:

Frequently asked questions

How often do I need to feed my sourdough starter?

If you keep it in the fridge, you only need to feed it about once a week. Take it out, feed it, let it activate, then put it back. If you keep it on the counter, you’ll need to feed it every day.

Can my sourdough starter go bad?

Yes, but it is harder to kill than you think! If you see fuzzy pink or orange mold, start fresh. Gray liquid (hooch) is not mold — it just means it needs feeding. A neglected starter can almost always be revived with a few feedings.

How do I know when my starter is ready to use?

It should be bubbly, active, and have roughly doubled in size after feeding. A good test is the float test — drop a small spoonful into a glass of water. If it floats, it’s ready!

What flour should I use to feed my starter?

I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Bread flour also works great and gives a stronger starter. Avoid bleached flour as it can affect the wild yeast.

What if I don’t want to discard?

You don’t have to! You can just keep feeding and building your starter. Just know it will keep growing — which is why having a collection of discard recipes on hand is so handy.

Video guide

This post may contain affiliate links, you can read my policy here!

Check out all my favorite kitchen tools here!

If you want to read more about my story, and background about my blog, read it here!

Use these pictures to save this recipe for later!

Have questions about your sourdough starter? Leave a comment below — I love helping fellow sourdough bakers troubleshoot! And if this guide helped you, a star rating means the world to me. ⭐

← Back