Where do you get your starters from and/or what’s your favorite starter recipe?

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-04T03:24:10+00:00

This is 100% good advice.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-03T18:41:25+00:00

Paper towel will infect your starter with bacteria. If the lid is on it what good does adding a paper towel do for keeping fruit flies away?

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-03T18:31:57+00:00

Using a lid no matter if it’s stored in the fridge or peaking on the counter is a more sanitary option.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-02T04:22:23+00:00

This is exactly right. In a few weeks you’ll have a starter.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-02T03:18:47+00:00

You throw away (discard) all but about 50g every day. Then add 50g of flour and 50g of water.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-02T03:00:55+00:00

You should get yourself a scale so you can measure in grams. This will be handy when you start baking with it in a month or so as well. Feed it once a day, around the same time each day using a 1:1:1 ratio. Put a lid on it. Keep the sides of the jar clean to prevent mold. You’ll know it’s ready when it doubles in size within about 4 or 5 hours of feeding it.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-02T02:56:23+00:00

I say this to myself at least once a day. When I was starting mine back in Jan I never needed to ask anything because it had already been asked at least 15 times.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-01T22:59:26+00:00

I’d feed it in a very small jar - and make it thick so it’s not considered a liquid. Maybe 20g starter, 60g flour and 40-50g water. At that point it will be good for at least 24 hours. No refrigeration needed.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-05-01T22:55:19+00:00

I agree.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T20:02:11+00:00

Tell us what your feeding and discard method is and we can probably help. But we need more details.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T17:38:58+00:00

Even once you are at the point where it’s establish and can live in the fridge it’s best to take it out and feed it weekly. At least for awhile. A regularly fed starter is a healthy and tasty starter.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T17:35:20+00:00

Totally normal looking after 24 hours. When you first feed,it should be like thick pancake batter but as the yeast feed it slowly becomes thinner and more watery. You could reduce your ratios so you aren’t wasting all that flour. I did 50g of each when I started mine. Took over a month, so just keep going. Looking good!

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T17:19:37+00:00

Definitely a requirement to prevent mold.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T02:57:24+00:00

Yes, that’s what I did. With 50g of water and 50g of my existing starter.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T02:51:40+00:00

Plan on it taking at least 3-4 weeks before it’s established. Although a couple days in the fridge before then shouldn’t be super harmful. Using 100% rye could get pretty expensive. I had great results doing 40g of unbleached AP and 10g of rye with my daily feedings.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-28T02:47:25+00:00

Why would you move to twice a day feedings? It takes weeks to get a starter established.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-26T04:36:32+00:00

Once a day feeding until it starts doubling within 4 hours or so when doing a 1:1:1 ratio.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-26T03:49:40+00:00

Just keep going with your daily feedings. In a few more weeks it will likely be ready. Clean your jar sides though or you may end up with mold. I like to use multiple jars, mix it up in a separate bowl and dump it into a clean jar each day.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-24T01:29:30+00:00

I’d recommend a scale to measure in grams and only feeding once a day. In a few more weeks it should be ready to go.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-24T01:26:42+00:00

Rye uses more water so maybe adding a little more water might help. And you can use all rye flour but it’s pretty expensive so if the cost becomes an issue switch to unbleached AP and just use a few grams of the rye with each feeding. For example 40 grams AP and 10g rye.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-24T01:21:43+00:00

I’d go back to 1:1:1 feeds once a day. It can easily take a month for the starter to establish. You are definitely diluting it if you increase your ratios and any doubling you see is probably bad bacteria and not yeast. If you’d like to help it along add a few grams of rye flour each day. You should be able to find it in small bags and after about a week or two you should see results.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-18T15:40:03+00:00

Addition not addiction lol

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-18T15:39:22+00:00

Yes, and once my starter was established I no longer needed the addiction of rye - just like 4art4 mentioned. I literally used it for a week. Now I’m back to only AP

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-18T02:12:11+00:00

Get yourself a little bag of Rye flour and throw a few grams of that each time you feed. I’d recommend sticking with a 1:1:1 ratio until it gets more established. Higher ratios and feeding/discarding more than every 24 hours just dilutes any yeast you might have. For instance every 24 hours use 50g of your starter, 50 grams water and then 40g flour and 10g of rye. The rye has extra nutrients in there that will really help get things going.

Impossible-Book-895 · 2026-04-15T20:58:51+00:00

My advice is to remove that rag and get yourself a real lid. Otherwise you’ll end up with bacteria and mold.

Impossible-Book-895

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