Troubleshooting & Tricks

What you do when your starter won’t budge?

A healthy starter requires four things….

1) active cultures

2) food

3) purified water

4) warmth

Like a plant or pet, it needs to be nurtured and fed regularly.

Common problems + solutions

Starter not ripening: check your kitchen to make sure it is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer the kitchen the better (avoid direct sunlight). If your kitchen isn’t warm you can create a “proofing area” in your microwave by putting a cup of boiling water in there with the starter and keeping the door shut.

*Check your flour. I always make sure I use rye flour every other feed. Sourdough loves rye flour! I have found wheat and einkorn flour to be very hard on the starter. I always use the best organic AP or bread flour I can find with only a small portion of whole wheat.

*Check your consistency. It should be like THICK pancake batter when you mix it.

Brown liquid on top: this is known as “hooch.” It usually means your sourdough is very hungry. You can discard the liquid or simply mix it in. Make sure you feed it immediately.

Off smell: if your starter smells vinegary or like alcohol, this is due to over-fermentation. Simply feed your starter and it will smell like normal.

No bubbles: again, try adding rye flour and a pinch of sugar. Also, be sure your starter is in a clean glass jar in a warm area.

*Make sure you use filtered water, chlorine in tap water can kill the starter.

Mold: be careful! Sourdough adapts to its environment and can absorb mold from nearby moldy fruit/bread/etc. Don’t put it by other fermented food such as kiefer or sourkraut. Make sure your jar is clean and covered with a coffee filter, light towel, or cloth with a rubber band. Even soap residue can mold. Use only filtered, spring or distilled water when feeding the starter. Chlorine and bleach will kill any beneficial bacteria.