Have questions about sourdough? This troubleshooting guide offers practical tips and tricks to achieve a bubbly, active sourdough starter.
Without a doubt, the most intimidating aspect of sourdough baking is understanding its key element, the starter.
Simply put: a starter is a live fermented culture of flour and water. Once it becomes bubbly and active a small portion is added to a sourdough bread recipe to make it rise- no commercial yeast is required.
Sourdough is a technique that can be traced back thousands of years when instant yeast was not yet available to bakers. Doesn’t sound too scary, right? But there’s a catch…
A starter is not just this “thing” you create and walk away from forever. It must be kept alive and well with additional feedings to maintain its rising power (More step-by-step info here- Feeding Sourdough Starter: My Best Tips & Tricks).
Remember, your starter is a living culture which must be cared for with intent. Otherwise, your bread won’t rise. Think of it like a pet that needs to be fed daily, or a house plant that needs water and a sunny window.
At its core, sourdough is about understanding and committing to an ongoing relationship. As with all relationships, there lies a bit of uncertainty.
You might ask yourself: “Am I doing this right? Why does my starter look different than yours? Why is it taking forever to rise? Is it dead?”
That’s why I’ve put together this article for you. Most of the information is already covered in my book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, but I’ve included additional details to answer any questions you might have and to open up the topic for discussion.
Two Quick Notes Before You Begin:
1.) To streamline the process, this post assumes you have a working knowledge of a 100% hydration starter, made from equal parts regular wheat flour and water by weight. This is the most common type of sourdough starter. If you don’t have one, try my Beginner Sourdough Starter Recipe.
2.) This post is very comprehensive. Take your time and read through it a few times until the aha moment strikes! Because eventually, it will.
Troubleshooting Your Sourdough Starter
Why Won’t My Starter Rise?
Ahh yes… the million dollar question. It’s like asking: “Why won’t my 2-year-old sleep through the night?”
Because a sourdough starter is a living culture, like children of a certain age, they will definitely share some similarities. Each one will have their own unique personality and the “one size fits all approach” doesn’t always work.
Some bakers use science to explain these personality differences and others observe, follow their intuition and allow the starter to teach them. I implement both techniques.
Keep in mind, when troubleshooting your sourdough starter, it’s usually a combination of factors. In my experience, the rise time is based on temperature, ingredients, feeding frequencies, type of flour & the quantity of flour used.
Temperature
Starters love warm environments. The warmer the spot the quicker it will rise. But realistically, finding a warm spot can be challenging especially when baking in the winter. The ideal temperature is somewhere between 75-85 F.
Here are a few things you can do:
Try storing your starter in a cozy cabinet. It’s warm, draft free, and I have to say, my personal starter does really well in this snug little habitat. Experiment with a cabinet that’s near your stove for extra warmth.
Another option is to wrap the starter jar in a heating pad. One of my kombucha readers (Hi, Melanie!) suggested this tip and it’s very clever. The heating pad maintains the starter at an approximate temperature which can be adjusted to your liking.
A proofing box can also be used to control the temperature. This is the one I use, which is great for your dough too (it FOLDS FLAT!).
If you don’t have a proofing box, place your starter in the oven (turned off) with the light on. But please make sure to keep an eye on it and turn the light off, if necessary. It can get very hot in there! Another makeshift proofing box option is to use your microwave; just place the starter inside (turned off) with the light on.
Finally, try using warm water in your feedings. Around 80-90 F is a good temperature.
Note: regarding temperature, if your starter is exceptionally strong and vibrant, it will have no problem rising in warm OR cold environments, even in the fridge. My starter is a workhorse and will rise ANYWHERE. This is because it’s mature, well fed and cared for starter. Keep this in mind as you continue to develop a relationship with your personal starter.
Ingredients
A sourdough starter is made from flour and water. For best results, always use quality ingredients.
For the flour, please use something that is unbleached, unbromated, and does not contain chemicals.
Most non-organic U.S. flours, including my preferred brand King Arthur Flour, are enriched with vitamins and minerals including iron, folic acid and other vitamins. This is okay to use. I also like Trader Joe’s all-purpose flour for feedings.
However, it’s important to note that not all flours perform the same. Flour from the UK is going to have different enzyme and mineral levels than flour from the U.S., Japan, Australian etc. Even organic flours perform differently.
That’s why when troubleshooting your starter, it’s best not switch back and forth between brands at first. It’s too confusing and you won’t know where you went wrong. Stick to one brand, try to rule out additional factors that might be giving you trouble, and then make changes from there.
For the water, try using filtered or bottled water to avoid any trace chemicals or chlorine if you think it’s having a negative effect on the rise. I don’t have to do this at home, my tap is fine.
Feeding Frequencies
Ever have those days where you’re just ravenous?
Starters can be ravenous too. If at one point your starter was all bubbly and happy, and now it’s not rising anymore, it’s possible that it needs a few extra feedings to boost the yeast development. Assuming you understand how temperature and ingredients can effect the rise of your starter, try feeding it 2x per day and see what happens.
Also, if your starter has been stored in the fridge for a while, it’s going to need several feedings at room temperature to become bubbly. Have patience!
What Type Of Flour Can I Feed It With?
Feed your starter with the same flour from which it’s made.
Now, let me just clarify: every baker has their own way of feeding their starter. And one method is not necessarily better than the next (just different).
To cut through the noise with reliable results, feed your starter with the same flour that’s in the jar. For example, if your starter is made with all purpose flour, feed it with all purpose flour. If it’s made with rye flour, feed it with rye flour. Easy.
By doing so, you’ll establish a consistent feeding routine and the rise time will become more predictable. Think about it this way: how would your dog feel if you fed him a different type of dry food each week? Starters are no different!
How Much Flour and Water Does My Starter Need?
For a 100% hydration starter, feed it following a 1:1:1 ratio by weight.
For example, if you have 30 g of starter in the jar, feed it with 30g of flour + 30g of water. If you have 60g of starter, feed it with 60g of flour + 60g of water. Please use a kitchen scale for this! You can easily scale the initial starter quantity up or down, depending on how much you want to maintain now or in the future.
Again, every baker has a different method, but following a 1:1:1 ratio by weight will get you reliable results. Your starter will rise more predictably, and if you’re lucky, it will stay at its peak height for quite a while before it collapses.
I Created a Starter Following the Instructions in Your Book. It Used to Be Bubbly, But Now Nothing’s Happening? Should I Start Over?
Believe it or not, this is 100% normal.
Typically, when creating a starter from scratch, you’ll see bubbles on the surface around Day #3. When you start feeding it with flour and water on Day #4 and beyond, the bubbles may or may not appear as quickly. It makes sense to think that something’s wrong! But don’t panic.
In order to cultivate and develop the yeast within your starter, you need to feed it for several days in order to see results. The process can be unpredictable, and each person you talk to will have a different experience based on their personal situation and environment. It’s easy to get caught up and compare, doubt yourself, and think it’s not working.
So, should you start the whole process over?
No! Continue to follow the instructions in the book, but make sure to read this post a few times, including Sections 1-3 to familiarize yourself with possible troubleshooting factors. If you’re still stumped, please be patient and continue to feed your starter until it bubbles and doubles in size. Eventually, you will see results. It just takes time.
What Type of Container of Jar Should I use for My Sourdough Starter?
I wrote a whole post on this. Click here.
Does the Starter Jar Need To Be Airtight?
The jar or container can be airtight or covered loosely; it’s your choice.
If it’s airtight, just make sure the jar is large enough to accommodate the starter’s growth as it begins to rise (at least double in size). Otherwise it will burst through the jar.
If you choose a loose cover such as a cloth or something else that’s breathable, and a skin forms on the surface, that means too much air is getting into your starter. It’s not the end of the world if you see this. Just peel it off and/ or choose an airtight lid instead.
What Is That Dark, Smelly Liquid On My Starter?
It’s called hooch which is an indication that your starter needs to be fed.
Don’t worry, it’s not dead. Just exhausted. This liquid is something you’ll see regularly, either on the surface of your starter or even within the culture itself (as pictured above), so get used to it! Because the liquid is unsightly and smells like gym socks, I pour it off with some of the discolored starter underneath and feed it right away. That’s all you have to do.
PS: hooch is not mold.
What Should My Starter Smell Like?
First all all, your starter shouldn’t smell too vinegary, like gym socks, or nail polish remover. If it does, it just needs to be fed. Don’t freak out over this too much. At some point your starter will smell like this.
On the other hand, when your starter is in good shape it should smell fresh, fruity and yeasty.
So, what does that even mean?
Fresh, fruity, and yeasty aromas will vary from starter to starter. Some will smell like toasted coconuts and pineapple, others will smell like apple cinnamon. It’s actually very interesting to note all of the differences. Don’t worry if yours just smells tangy and not very “exotic.” Totally normal. The aroma all depends on what’s in the jar and how it’s cared for.
9.)What Happens If There’s Mold Growing On My Starter?
If you see mold, get rid of the entire starter!
In all my years of baking, I’ve never had a problem with mold. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you. In fact, several of you have emailed me regarding mold (oddly enough you’re all from eastern Australia. Weather issues?).
Mold can occur on the surface of the starter or on the jar itself. Its appearance can range from white and fluffy, to dark greenish brown, and even pink.
What gives?
Here’s what I know about mold: mold spores are everywhere. And it takes a perfect storm of variables (food, temperature, and water) to populate its growth. So, think about your current environment: is your starter jar near a fruit bowl (food source)? Is your current climate on the humid side (mold loves this kind of weather)? Are you using tap water (where trace chemicals and chlorine can be found)?
Because we all live in different environments it’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause. But if you can troubleshoot any of the above, it might lead you in the right direction. Consider moving your starter to a different room if you think location is part of the issue.
Paired with the variables above, mold can also occur if your starter hasn’t been fed often enough. Consider feeding it more frequently. This will keep the naturally occurring bacteria fresh and happy.
And finally: Sometimes mold can occur when something else lands in the jar. Last summer, a fly got stuck in my starter and the whole thing turned pink (not the fly, the starter). I’m not sure if the pinkish color was true mold or just a result of the unfortunate casualty. Either way, it’s something to pay attention to.
How Do I Get Rid Of Fruit Flies?!
Short answer: you can’t.
When summer rolls around, get used to seeing fruit files because they LOVE sourdough starters. Love. Love. Love. It’s hard to prevent a fleet of flies swarming the jar but there’s a few things you can do.
First, make sure your starter is not near any fruit (for obvious reasons). Second, just relocate it. Sometimes, I keep mine in my bedroom and completely out of the kitchen where the main food sources reside- my husband thinks this is totally weird. Third, keep the lid on. This will not keep out the flies completely but it will help especially after you’ve moved the jar out of the kitchen.
If you have additional ideas on this one, I’m all ears! Please read the comment section below; you guys have THE BEST tips.
Can My Starter Be Used With Gluten Free Flours To Make GF Bread?
Short answer: NO
Most sourdough starters are made from wheat flour and water, so therefore it contains gluten. If you want to bake gluten free sourdough you’ll need a gluten free starter. Remember that. I get many emails asking if my starter can be used to create gluten free sourdough, and it’s just not the real deal.
If I Forget To Feed My Starter, Is It Going To Die?
Short answer: NO
No matter what I tell you here, the first time your starter gives you trouble, or it’s taking forever to rise, or whatever, you’re going to think it’s dead. I guarantee it. The Internet has scared people into thinking if your starter doesn’t rise instantly with a trillion bubbles on the surface, it’s completely broken and will never be usable again. EVER.
Please have a little faith. I have a starter that’s been siting in my fridge for over 1 year, unfed. I forgot it was even in there. After transferring it to a new jar, feeding it for several days in a warm spot, and just being patient, guess what?! It was still ALIVE!!! That’s all you have to do if you suspect your starter needs a little love. Starters are resilient creatures which require practice and patience.
Which brings me to my last point (hooray!)…
Be Patient!
This is THE hardest tip to follow. But it’s undoubtedly the most important.
Who has patience these days when we have access to whatever we want on demand? Sourdough will teach you all about patience whether you like it or not. You can’t rush it. There are no shortcuts. No cheat sheets. Again, like parenting, eventually your 2-year-old will sleep through the night.
So, please read through these tips slowly and carefully and see what troubleshooting factors apply to your personal situation. Some days you’ll have a beautiful bubbly starter and other days it will act like a diva. And just remember: it’s usually a combination of factors that contribute to sourdough starter issues. Your starter behaves this way not to make your life miserable; it just wants you to pay attention. Take your time, feed it a million times if you have to, move it to a warmer spot, and just honor the relationship. It’s the only way you’ll learn.
My intent with this post was to include enough information to satiate your questions, without making you feel exhausted.
Believe me, this topic can go on for ages- there’s just so many scenarios. Feel free to comment below with additional thoughts and tips. Based on your feedback, I will make periodic updates to keep this post fresh and relevant! Happy baking, friends :)
Comments
Chrissy says
Hi Emilie,
I really enjoyed reading your posts and started my own starter using your instructions. I am on day 8 of my starter and while it has certainly doubled in size it has reeked of acetone for the past few days. I have been feeding twice a day and covered more loosely rather than airtight to allow for more airflow. Any suggestions?!
Rachel says
My sourdpugh starter is 3 weeks old. I fed it with high quality flour and bottled water, at least once but mostly twice a day for the last 18 days. It was rising very well even in the fridge (I save discards in the fridge) . My house is warm, usually around 75 to 80 degrees. I made beautiful breads. But the starter is not rising anymore. What happened?
Vivienne Hudson says
I have been making your sourdough bagels for a while. Recently my bagels have been too soft and sticky. They stick to the parchment paper before I boil them. Should I cut down the water or add more flour. I weigh all the ingredients carefully. I use and have always used Robin Hood best for bread flour.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Vivienne! If your dough is too sticky, and you’re sure the dough was not over proofed (another cause of sticky dough), I would cut back on the water next time. For reference, the texture of your dough will change from time to time depending on your ambient room temperature and/or if the the type and brand of flour was changed. Also, don’t forget to spray your parchment paper with oil to prevent sticking (step 4) – this helps too!
Vivienne Hudson says
Thank you! Will try cutting back the water. I make the dough and leave it over night in my kitchen. About 8+ hours.
Ann says
Hi
I’m on day 8 and my starter only rose once day 3 and hasn’t done since, my kitchen is about 72 degrees in the warmest spot, what do I need to do to help it along, I’ve switched to wholewheat flour to try and kick start it, it’s my first attempt and thinking sourdough baking isn’t going to be for me, thank you
Kimmy says
Hi Emilie, i have been using your checklist to make a sourdough starter. I am on the eighth day and it has not risen and I do not see any bubbles. I’m afraid I may have had it in too high of a temperature. I put it in the microwave with the door open every night for 6 days because my husband likes the house freezing cold. I got a temperature tape to put on the jar and realized it wasn’t that cold. It is about seventy six degrees in the house right now. I’m afraid I may have baked it. Because there’s been a hard layer on top of the sourdough starter every morning when I had it in the microwave. Is this salvageable? Or should I start over? The past two nights, I have fed it a little bit more of the bread flour and left it out of the microwave, and still no rise.
Linda says
I am on day 6, my starter has not really risen the last 2 days, and if I discard half, which should be 112g, I will not have 112g left. I have some small bubbles on top and none throughout the rest. I need help with what to do now.
Barbie LeBrun says
I have two starters going: regular and buckwheat
My regular rose beautifully in two days. I didn’t bake that night, too late. Yesterday and today it rises a little then falls. Is very bubbly and bubbles all along the sides. Should I go ahead and bake with it or keep feeding it until it doubles again?
Also, my buckwheat does not rise well, suggestions on that one?
Barbie
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Barbie! For your regular starter, I would feed it again until it doubles. Although your starter is active, and honestly, you could probably bake with it at the stage you’ve described above, it’s good to get in the habit of using it at peak height (double) for maximum strength and rising power. This way, should you run into oven spring issues with your loaf, or maybe even over proofed dough, you can rule out your starter as the root cause; does that make sense? This is good ongoing practice. As for your buckwheat starter, this one will look and behave completely different than your regular wheat starter because it’s gluten free. If it’s not rising well, make sure to keep it in a warm spot to ferment, around 75 F if you can. If it seems runny, add more flour to thicken it up. Exact amounts don’t matter – go by consistency.
Tricia says
I made two beautiful loaves but after second rise I moved it into dutch oven and they deflated. I kneaded again and placed back in dutch oven waiting for it to rise. It lost surface tension and now is a broken mess. Is it salvagable. Please help!
Jessica says
Thank you so much for this information. I came across your website in search for help with my starter. This is very informative and helpful. I started my starter myself and it was going great until all the sudden no rise.
Tina says
I came upon your page and your information is very helpful. I started my sourdough starter for the first time ever so I am very new. I bought a recommended jar and everything was going text book until on day 5 when I woke up with starter oozing out of the top of my semi secured glass lid. Nearly 1/2 cup worth of starter was on the counter and my $100 wireless charger. I switched to a larger bowl now, throwing away the starter that was all over the counter so NO contamination could possibly occur with what was intact inside the jar. I fed my starter before I went to bed and now it’s day 6 and no bubbles, where there were lots of bubbles each day, and it hasn’t risen overnight. BUT it had doubled until a lot of it oozed out of the jar. I am not sure what to do. I am mixing 1/2 cup king Arthur flour and 1/4 spring bottled water once per day. Can you off any recommendations? It does smell sour, almost alcohol like.
Connie Sugimoto says
Hi Emilie, I am on day 12 and still my starter has never doubled in size. I am using your guide and I’m wondering why the amount of started after we discard half is always more than the 60g of flour and 60g of water we add day after day. Am I missing something? Should I be increasing the amount of flour and water to keep to a 1:1:1 ratio? I have bubbles on top and it smells good but I don’t know why it isn’t doubling. It may rise by 20% but never more. I started with rye and on day 10 added about 20% rye flour to my 60g of KA AP flour. Activity hasn’t changed.
Taryn says
I’m having the same issue! My starter is on day 9. It looks beautiful, smells right, has tons of bubbles. But it doesn’t double. It’s always around 230/232g. The only thing I can guess is that it’s too watery. So I added 20g extra flour this morning. Any other suggestions, Ms. Carrot?
Priscilla says
After dough comes out of cold ferment, how long does it need to set out before baking?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Priscilla! It depends on recipe & method you’re following. Not all sourdough bread recipes are the same. Generally speaking, if the dough was properly fermented during the bulk rise and looks correct after the cold ferment, you can bake the dough cold. Alternatively, the dough might need more time so you can leave it out of the counter while the oven heats up.
Laura says
Thank you! Excellent (and fun) read. Was considering just starting over but will keep trying. And if I do need to start over I will go with King Arthur (which I should have done to start).
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome, Laura! Sourdough starters are more resilient than we give them credit for. A little bit of knowledge and patience goes a long way. 🥰
Staci Miller says
I really like your website -all the info is well organized and easy to follow. I have a starter question though that I don’t see an answer to. I am new to sourdough, and used your recipe to create a starter. I used whole wheat organic flour on day 1, then switched to AP. While it has been increasing in volume, it isn’t bubbly except on top, and it’s kept the same thick pancake batter consistency . I’m on day 13. I’m now up to about 820 g of starter!!! Do you have any suggestions? I’m about to chuck it all and start over. Thank you!
Stacie says
Remember – you are supposed to discard 1/2 your starter at each feeding to avoid having a huge starter and wasting so much flour! If you don’t discard, you’ll double your starter size each day.
Staci says
Well, I was discarding half using a scale, then adding back the same amount also using a scale. Looking back (sorry, I gave up) I think that the starter was reaching it’s bubbling stage when I wasn’t around to catch it. I am gone during the day and asleep at night, so it wasn’t fitting I to my schedule. Thank you for getting back to me.
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you Staci! I really appreciate that. All good info here. The fact that your starter has increased in volume tells me it’s rising, so it’s somewhat active. This is good. The bubbles on the surface are a different story: are they small frothy bubbles? Or normal bubbles varying in size (not frothy)?
Additionally, at the end of the creation process you should have approximately 236 g (about 1 cup) of sourdough starter. If you’re at 830 g, this tells me you’ve stopped discarding? This won’t hurt your starter especially if it’s active already; you’re just increasing its size exponentially!
Ma Foley says
My starter is 50/50 whole wheat and bread flour, I am doing 50:50:50 everyday with feedings. My starter is consistently doubling everyday for almost a week, it only fell one time. It probably peaked in about 14 hours. But I cannot get it to peak in the 4-6 hour range. My house temperature always run between 76-80. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and my starter is about 3 weeks old. Thank you
Emilie Raffa says
Hello! To re-cap: you have an active starter. It’s 50/50 whole wheat flour & bread flour. You’re feeding it following a 1:1:1 ratio, it only fell once, and it’s 3 weeks old (4+ weeks now, as I’m looking at the initial date of your comment).
The first thing that jumped out at me was that it only fell once? Generally speaking, a sourdough starter will rise and fall consistently. Meaning, it’s not designed to stay at peak height forever, although some types of starters (i.e. thicker ones) will stay at peak height for longer compared to other ones. You feed it, it rises, it eats through all of its food, and then it falls back down. And then process repeats. I’m curious to understand more about how you are observing this.
The second thing is that a 50/50 whole wheat & bread flour starter is thicker compared to one made with only all purpose or bread flour. Because of that, and as mentioned above, it will take longer to rise even at 76-80 F. This could be why you’re seeing 14 hr peak times.
Finally: your starter is still young. It might need more time to mature & strengthen if you want to speed up the rise.
Here’s what I’d do: continue to feed it at the same time each day to strengthen it. Your temperature is good, so no need to make adjustments there. Keep a rubber band around the base of the jar to truly determine when it has peaked (it will double in volume). And then wait for it to fall. Take notes re: timing. Do this for a week or two, and see if you need ot make adjustments from there. This will get you going to start!