Welcome to the Basic Loaf Family!

Q: Is the smell of a new sourdough starter normal?

Yes! A fresh sourdough starter might smell like vinegar, yeast, or even a bit fruity. This is completely normal for a mature culture. Only worry if you see fuzzy mould.

Q: My dried starter flakes are not showing signs of life by Day 3 - is that normal?

Yes, this is fairly common. Dried starters can take 4-5 days to fully rehydrate and become active, especially in a cooler kitchen. Just repeat the Day 3 feed (discard half, add 50g flour and 50g water) until you see it reliably bubbling and doubling. Warmth is the biggest factor - try finding a warmer spot in your kitchen.

A freshly baked sourdough loaf and an active starter jar

First of all, thank you for choosing my sourdough starter. You've just skipped the most challenging 14 days of the sourdough journey! This starter is over 5 years old, used daily to bake for Will's family, and is incredibly resilient and reliable.

Whether you received a fresh starter or a packet of dried flakes, find your version below. Either way, you're just a few days away from your first loaf.

Dried Flakes Live Starter in Person Live Starter by Post

If You Received Dried Flakes

Dried sourdough starter flakes in a Kilner jar — Your starter arrives as crisp, paper-thin flakes.

Bringing a dried starter back to life is simple - it just takes a bit of patience. All you need is strong white bread flour and lukewarm water.

Equipment for rehydrating dried starter: small jar, flakes, measuring jug, scale, and stirrer — Everything you need: a clean jar, scale, stirrer, and lukewarm water.

Day 1 - The Awakening: In a clean jar, mix 25g of the flakes with 25g of lukewarm water. Leave it for about an hour so the flakes can soften - it will look exactly like soggy cornflakes at this stage, which is about as glamorous as it sounds. Once it's broken down into a rough paste, stir in 25g of flour. Cover loosely and leave in a warm spot for 24 hours.

The soggy cornflakes stage - perfectly normal.

After the hour is up it should be a rough paste like this - time to stir in the flour.
Day 2 - First Signs of Life: You might see a couple of tiny bubbles today - that's exactly what we want. Don't discard anything yet. Just stir in 50g flour and 50g lukewarm water, give it a good mix, and leave for another 24 hours.

Bubbles starting to form around 12-14 hours in - exactly what we want to see.
Day 3 - Back in Business: It should be smelling pleasantly tangy by now. Discard about half of what's in the jar, then feed it again with 50g flour and 50g water. Within a few hours it should be bubbly, active, and starting to double in size.

By Day 3 the bubbles are really picking up - your starter is waking up.

Once it's reliably doubling within 4-8 hours of a feed, it has officially moved in! If it needs another day or two, just repeat the Day 3 feed until it gets there - dried starters can sometimes take a little longer depending on the temperature in your kitchen. Check out the Starter Guide for long-term feeding and storage from here.

If You Collected Your Live Starter in Person

Since you picked this up directly, the starter is likely very happy and active.

collected after 4pm? chances are I've already fed it for you.
Baking Tomorrow? I recommend giving it a feed this evening (around 5-6pm). It will then be bubbly, active, and ready to bake with first thing in the morning.
Baking Later? If you aren't baking straight away, pop the jar into the fridge. When you are ready to bake, take it out the day before and give it a boost. Check out my guide on How to Strengthen Your Starter.

If You Received Your Live Starter by Post

Being in an envelope for 24-48 hours is a journey! Your starter might arrive looking a bit thin or smelling quite "vinegary" and intense. Don't worry - it's just hungry and tired.

Feed Immediately: Treat your starter to a fresh meal. Snip the end of the zip lock bag like a piping back and squeeze it into a clear, sterilized jar. Give it a "1:1:1" feed (70g starter, 70g lukewarm water, 70g strong white bread flour).
The Sensory Check: Mix it into a thick, sticky paste (like thick peanut butter). Within a few hours, you should smell a wonderful transformation: from sharp vinegar to a pleasant, tangy sweetness. (See my Feeding Guide for more).
The Double Check: I recommend feeding it twice at room temperature before your first bake. You want to see it reliably doubling in volume and becoming light and airy, like a marshmallow.
Storage: Once it's bubbly and active, it has officially moved in! You can move it to the fridge and follow the standard maintenance in the Starter Guide.

A Few Tips for My Specific Starter

It Loves Warmth: This culture is used to a cozy kitchen. If your house is cool, use lukewarm water (35°C) for feedings to keep it moving.
Don't Overthink It: Sourdough is resilient. If you forget a feed, just give it some flour and water and it will almost always bounce back.
Ready to Bake? Once your starter is bubbly and active, head over to The Recipe to start your first Basic Loaf.

If you have any issues or want to show off your first loaf, tag me on Instagram @william_the_poon!

Pro Tip: The Backup Jar
Once your starter is active, take a small spoonful (10g) and put it in a separate small jar in the fridge. Don't feed it, just leave it there. This is your "insurance policy" in case anything happens to your main jar!

New Starter FAQs

Is the smell normal?

Yes! It might smell like vinegar, yeast, or even a bit fruity. This is completely normal for a mature culture. Only worry if you see fuzzy mould.

What if it looks liquid or thin?

Temperature changes during travel can make the starter go thin. Simply feed it with equal parts flour and water (by weight) to bring it back to a thick paste consistency.

When can I bake?

Once your starter is reliably doubling in size within 4-8 hours after a feed, you are ready to bake! Check out The Recipe to get started.

My dried flakes aren't doing much by Day 3 - is that normal?

Fairly common, especially in a cooler kitchen. Just repeat the Day 3 feed (discard half, add 50g flour and 50g water) until you see reliable bubbling and doubling - some dried starters take 4-5 days. The biggest factor is warmth, so try finding a warmer spot if it's being sluggish.

Ready to make your first loaf?

Head over to the step-by-step master recipe and let's get baking!

Go to The Recipe

Need help? I'm more than happy to help you on your sourdough journey. Reach out to me any time on Instagram @william_the_poon.