How to Put Your Sourdough Starter on HOLD, and Revive It

What should you do with your starter when you go on vacation? Or move to a new town? Or stop baking for the summer?
In this new video I show, step-by-step, how I put my starter on hold for 33 days and how I then revived.
This video answers the following question:
- How much should I feed my starter before putting it on hold?
- Should I store it in the refrigerator?
- How do assess the state of my starter after a long break?
- How do I feed my dormant starter?
- What are the common mistakes and pitfalls?
- and more!
====================== NEW WEBSITE =====================
Also check out my new website at thesourdoughjourney.com
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0:00 Introduction
2:07 Feeding Ratios for Refrigerator Storage
4:26 The Smell Test
6:31 Refresh Feeding Options
9:44 4 Hours after Water Refresh
10:59 Feeding #1
12:17 Second Feeding
19:50 How to Rehydrate a Dehydrated Starter
22:33 Pop Quiz
24:24 4 Hours after Second Feeding
25:13 The Peak-to-Peak Feeding Method
28:57 3 Hours After Third Feeding
30:10 Recap of the Process

[@MartaSpendowska]

I am a massive advocate for drying the starter. My starters (spelt and rye) were never in the fridge. There is a school of thought in Slavic lands that the low temperature kills certain LA bacteria, and yeast predominates. In the past, they always used the same wooden barrels, keeping that starter covered in flour until the next baking. Many people (Poles, Russians) either spread the starter thinly and dry it or dry it out by adding flour and crumbling it. I used both, and I keep different starters with different drying techniques; all work excellent. I know it is not popular, but I guess science is behind it. People develop their starters with super high LA and no yeast even (Russians)-fascinating topic, as always.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. That’s interesting I had not heard that.

[@MartaSpendowska]

@@thesourdoughjourney If you're interested, here are a couple of links: 1. Baker of 40 years shows his drying, works with ancient flours, and never kept his ferment in the fridge. In old times, bakers would drive to bakeries at night to feed it because it was time :): kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXfSiKx_Z7aMqcksi=itSDk6yb0w1c9iBF 2. Russian channel. This guy builds these Lactic Acid-only starters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHKrc6CKh8iclZYsi=n4P5TJMKthnzsB0P 3. 1977 Polish document about baking in wooden barrels : kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3O3k5aDp7h9oMUsi=F6Pbsf7jBvVI-FHy Obv, barrels fed large families but notice that there is always a use of one single vessel. I hope you’ll find subtitles or at least this will be interesting visually. Now, some will add a tiny bit of yeast to rye. It seems like Europe is much less afraid of yeast:) I think it gets destroyed at around 140 F at baking anyway. Also, a fun fact: in Poland, the girl who was about to marry was set on the barrel at her wedding for good luck in marriage. To this day, bread and salt are how we welcome people, and I always kiss the bread if it drops on the floor.

[@finleydavis118]

I would still be looking for the knobs on the stove😂. Thoughts of why people live longer in modern times were passing through my head while watching the vid. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

[@momchi2]

THIS IS THE TOTALLY BEST instructions video, not only guy knows what he is talking about, but best explanation and instructions!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@bigrob1887]

I've made very, very, dry, golf ball sized, starter balls and stored them in the freezer and used them after a year. This method will take 3-4 days to bring back to life. Add some heat (80F) to help it along.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for sharing. That sounds like a great method.

[@araminta5356]

Thank you for the detailed info. Not discarding from a weak starter was a revelation.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. Never discard a weak starter!

[@AdamUrlewicz]

Tom i love your videos and all the information you give. Since watching them my starter got stronger and my bread looks much better. I also know much more about what to do in critical situations and how to inspect starter. Thank you so much for those explanations and for your knowledge you share. Not many people do it these days. Once again thank you, thank you, thank you ❤❤❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! 🙏

[@getyourfeelgoodbackbjones1576]

I have also started dehydrating my discard instead of throwing it away. Some of it I actually took and May little packets and paper towels, and gave it to my neighbor because he had a bunch of leaves that he needed to compost. Let me tell you! In two days, his leaf pile was smoking!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Good idea.

[@sofijasan2681]

I really do like your "NOOO" video :D Actually, I learned a lot. And, sure I did some (mostly all) mentioned mistakes

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@dopapier]

Very helpful. Thanks for not having music competing with your voice. I think I actually saw a smile, just momentarily, a slight one. Careful! You’re slipping! :))

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@user-ey9bt7fs6n]

One of the things I love about your videos is bringing able to come back and review. Every once in a while I have to revisit the institute to get back on track. Thanks Tom

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@char23c]

Love the scientific approach you use in getting your sour dough starter ready for a long sleep. But, and there is always a but somewhere. When you made the stiff starter, how long after feeding did you wait before you put the starter into the refig. Immediately, or did you let the yeast get a great meal from the fresh food before putting it in the refig?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Good question. Sorry I did not cover that. For a "long slumber" I put it directly in the fridge after feeding. The idea is to preserve as much of the food supply as possible, so it doesn't make sense to pre-consume the food source before going into the fridge. However, if I'm putting my starter in the fridge for less than a week and planning to use it in baking, I will feed it and will always let it start to rise before going into the refrigerator, so it comes out of the fridge very strong. It all depends on the expected duration of the "slumber." Great question. Thanks for asking.

[@char23c]

thanks, I'm baking sour dough bread today. 😃@@thesourdoughjourney

[@coolfisher1644]

where is the choice for 'like video, hand with thumb up icon' ? I only see choice for thumb down hand. Video was very thorough.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

I’m not sure, you should see it there.

[@1esthajnalcsillag]

So glad I found your channel, at last I understand WHY my starter behaves like it does. Very helpful, thank you so much.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@loismurr7014]

I have been baking sourdough bread since May 2020 and have been refrigerating my starter as I only bake every week o r two. I generally try to take the starter out of the refrigerator weekly and feed it even if I am not making bread. Your videos are helpful in understanding the science of the feeding cycle.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

You are following a good method. I do that in the summer. Once a week feedings in fridge.

[@miraclebub]

So are you feeding the 1:1:1 and then putting it right back in the frig?

[@ciaobela8]

Priceless!!!!!! They should have millions of views!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@annekominski6454]

Germans would keep the starter mixed with as much flour as possible into a ball. The ball was stored at Rt inside the flour bag. This can last a very long time

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! Yes, I heard of that method after I made this video.

[@markbaarsbergen36]

Been baking for 18mths now and hit the wall the last wks with what proved to be serious underproofing, learned that through your great vids with analysis and experimentation. Extremely Well documented and explained. It helps heaps and re-energizes to look forward and bake great loafs again !

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you! Also check out my website. TheSourdoughJourney.com

[@sherryblankenbeker5730]

Thank you for all of the amazing history and your knowledge I’m trying to make some sourdough starter now.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Good luck! Also check out my website for more helpful info thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-creation/

[@carolmelancon]

I loved the long explanation. Exactly what I needed to learn to make the correct decision on what my starter needs. Thanks to your excellent instruction, I passed the Pop Quiz and I think I will retain the knowledge.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@debrabowers8652]

I'm getting so much info from you. Thank you! I think you are my sourdough guru! I just go straight to KZbin and you for all my baking questions and tips. I hope you read these, thanks again for all the hard work you put in.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Also check out my website at thesourdoughjourney.com

[@krishaas_hair1463]

Excellent video!!!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@andrejgregoric1324]

What I do is baking weekly/ freezing fresh bread and keep starter in a fridge close/above to zero Celsius. Day before bake, I mix my starter fresh, leave it to rise, use most in the mix and put the rest back to fridge. I adapt ratios according to the state of cold starter acidity. Before putting it back, I just clean sides and cover of the vessel.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. That’s a good process for weekly use.

[@getyourfeelgoodbackbjones1576]

Thank you so much for the tip on composting discard. I gave some to my neighbor who needed to compost whole lot of leaves. It worked beautifully!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Great. Thanks.

[@goattactics]

Last time I refrigerated my starter I did everything wrong apparently. I left it there for several months, it starved, I kept discarding the weak starter, took several weeks to strengthen it. This is very useful for the next time.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@lindsaysketokitchen9077]

Another clarification… the feeding from 2nd to 3rd - was that a peak to peak feeding?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, peak to peak.

[@anthonykaiser974]

You can tell who paid attention in biology class and who didn't. On that note, a GREAT sourdough book would have a simple chart or table showing the reproductive rate of the three organisms from a single cell just to pound home the reality about culture build/rebuild times. I've revived year old dried up rye pumpernickel starter from the fridge more than once.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. I’m doing lots of experiments on this topic. It’s actually quite complex because as the lactic acid bacteria produces acid, it chokes off the yeast growth. So the population curves are interrelated. I’ve seen charts that show them on isolation. But a yeast cell growing in an isolated environment in a laboratory behaves very differently than one growing in the presence of lactic acid bacteria. You can see some of my research here (the charts with the black background). thesourdoughjourney.com/research/

[@sandrajones3994]

I’m so glad I found your videos you make this so easy do you understand. Thank you so much !!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@nerinat8371]

Great info, thank you

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@yarnexpress]

My starter is now over 20 yrs old. I keep it in the refrigerator at about 34 F. I try to remember to feed it every week but I have sometimes forgotten. BTW It's a white flour starter. If it has hooch, I stir it in because I don't want to alter the hydration. I recently came across, what for me, is good advice. When it's time to refresh, I take it out of cold storage, give it a stir to redistribute the yeast then leave it at room temperature until it shows signs of life--could be 6 hrs or more depending on the room temperature. I then feed it & wait an hour or 2 until it starts to bubble then back into the fridge. When I want to make bread, I take what I need & feed that twice before starting the bread. I also use this opportunity to feed refrigerator bound starter with whatever amount was removed. Also if I'm making, say a sandwich loaf, I use the Tartine method twice before using it. I've also found it a good practice to allow the bread bound starter to go a bit past peak before proceeding--yeast is just starting to be hungry & raring to go.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

That’s a great method. Thanks for sharing the details.

[@getyourfeelgoodbackbjones1576]

Very thorough. Thanks❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks

[@liliammanguelemus1701]

Finally someone explaining the little details. ❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@deborahlee3621]

I love your methods! Thanks.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you.

[@hongmurphy2310]

An excellent video. Thank you very much!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@mytree123]

Thank You !

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! 🙏

[@danac2491]

So informative, I really am learning so much from your videos. Thank you.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Also check out my website at thesourdoughjourney.com

[@erezcohenbox]

Great video. I will print out all of the transcribe text as there is lots of info in this. Thanks ❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks!

[@lbamusic]

After removing the starter that I need for a bake, i spread a coating of wheat or rye flour over the top surface and put in refrig. Will last up to 3 - 4 weeks.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'll give that a try.

[@user-jo8hw5ce1m]

It seems to me that there is some greenish mold at the jar wall at 6:18. Look at 11 'o clock.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Possibly? But i think I would have seen it. I was actually looking for mold. Can’t say from the video. I’ll go back and look at the raw footage. I had more and different angles.

[@user-jo8hw5ce1m]

Actually, I wished to write a comment about something else - to say big thank you for sharing all the good information on creating and maintaining a strong starter, doing all the tests and sharing the results. It all makes perfect sense and I feel lucky for coming across your channel as the only place with fact-based advice that helped me improve my starter strength and understand the underlying processes. Now I'm leaving for a month long trip, so I prepared my started like described, placed it in the fridge at 4 degrees Celsius and I'm curious to check it after returning home.

[@user-jo8hw5ce1m]

Btw, your 30 minute method for the busy people is super helpful and helped me make sourdough bread more often

[@michaeld2662]

The dehydrating thing is actually a thing. I kept mine in the freezer for a year before needing it. Spread it thin so it’s easy to rehydrate.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes that works!

[@telldpablo]

Great intro music! I forgot my starter from about a year pre-Civid, recently fed and by second feeding it doubled in size!! 😁 And.. I’ve dehydrated some which our daughter recently rehydrated and used for some beautiful gluten free bread.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Starters are surprisingly resilient, especially coming out of the fridge.

[@jackieli4829]

I have a question regarding my current situation with my starter. On 10/26, I didn’t have enough time to feed my starter like I usually would’ve. The day before, I had fed it at a ratio of 1:2:2 and when I checked it, it had not fallen all the way down (room temp 70F and starter is 6 months old). The next day when I went to feed it, it had fallen all the way down and it’s gluten was broken down. I fed it, checked it the next morning (after 12 hours), but it did not rise a single bit. I was collecting some starter discard earlier in the week when my starter was functioning, so I decided to feed a portion of discard and create a back-up starter. I immediately noticed that it had a yeastier smell and it rose like expected after a 1:1:1 feeding. However, my original starter did not rise much after 24 hours. Now, my original starter is doing better, but I’m still trying to get it under control as it seems a bit weak. The back-up starter I made has more of the expected yeasty and fruity smells, but I found that the original starter has always had more of a subtle yeast smell, sometimes barely even that. Im questioning if I should throw away the back-up starter I made, or the original starter I made. The backup starter seems stronger right now, but I don’t want to throw away the original one. I am unable to maintain two starters at a time. Also, what could be the possible explanation for this happening to an established starter? I think I definitely impeded the recovery process by feeding it when it had no bubbles on top and only rose a bit. Now I know not to do that! Thank you for reading and for creating these videos.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

If your discard is a recent offshoot of your original starter, then it is the same as your original starter. When your starter completely fell, if consumed all the food, but more importantly it got very acidic (and some alcohol). It just takes a few day to work it back to strength. You can use either one to get it back to full strength. I recommend “peak to peak” feeding. Discard 80%, feed it 1:2:2 and wait until it peaks (in height of bubble activity). Ignore the clock and watch the starter. Soon after it peaks, discard 80% and repeat. The time to peak should shorten after each refresh. Do that a few times over a few days and it should come back to the yeasty smell and normal strength.

[@jackieli4829]

@@thesourdoughjourney Great to know! The back up starter I made used discard from within the past two weeks, maybe even a few days before my starter was put off-balance. A couple follow questions - can the peak feeding method be used with a 1:1:1 ratio? - I always found that my starter never had a yeasty smell, but my backup one has a really pungent yeasty smell. Even after both starters fell (I fed them at the same time and ratio the day prior), I compared the smells, and my original starter had a vinegary smell, compared to the backup one which had a mild yeasty smell. What could be the cause of this? I’m thinking it has to do with the lactic acids that are produced during colder temperatures? Maybe not, haaha. But anyways, thank you for the insight.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, there is not a big difference between 1:1:1 and 1:2:2. If you’re smelling vinegar, that is the acid. Keep discarding only after it peaks and refeed. After 3-5 times it should smell yeasty and not acidic.

[@valjalava1951]

Iam really enjoying your channel,,can you tell me where you got the heating mat from my kitchen is so cold that would work great,,just love watching all your videos

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. You can find all the products I use here. thesourdoughjourney.com/products/

[@lindsaysketokitchen9077]

I am loving your video and the science and your recaps too. I have time to digest all the info. My questions: 1. After it’s back to mature status, do you go back to 1:1:1 feeding? 2. What if you’re trying to revive a starter that wasn’t prepped for a slumber… not a stiff starter? Thanks! I look forward to more videos and knowledge!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, I usually go back to 1:1:1. If it peaks too quickly for 24 hour feedings, I go up to 1:2:2. You would revive any starter with peak to peak feedings.

[@lindsaysketokitchen9077]

@@thesourdoughjourney perfect! Thx:)

[@fawazhajhamad]

Tom you know something.. just a question one of my family asked me why you make this yeast and make efforts to do this .. and in the market you will find a fresh or even dry yeast.. And if any one asked you like this question what is your answer? And thanks for your efforts in all your videos .. i nearly watched them all.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Packaged yeast is a single strain of yeast. Sourdough captures “wild yeast” from the environment and contains lactic acid bacteria which gives sourdough its unique flavors. It’s all about the flavor, and some other health benefits of long-fermented dough.

[@grazynagracerennick3285]

Hello from 🇨🇦 .....Love your videos!... yes... they are long but full of very detailed and valuable information ! Thank you! I have question for you ... After feeding sourdough starter 1:1:5 ratio for refrigerator storage, do you keep your starter at room temperature on the counter for a specific time? or do you put starter in refrigerator right after feeding ?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. If it is going into the fridge for more than a week, I put it directly in the refrigerator after feeding.

[@grazynagracerennick3285]

@@thesourdoughjourney Thank you 🙏

[@user-gp6jn7lc5i]

Should I stir the starter, then take necessary amount for the baking? Or I just take from the top?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

It never hurts to stir a starter. I’ve done it both ways. Not sure if one is better than the other.

[@Jubjub53]

I went on vacation while i was still developing my new starter. Room temperature lingers at about 68 degrees in our kitchen, so the process had been going slowly for about a week. I put my starter in the fridge, and came back a week later and it looked great. So I started feeding it twice a day and discarding again not realizing that my starter was still not very strong and brought it to a new low point. It is currently sitting on the counter, I haven't fed it for 18 hours and it's risen about a centimeter, and it is very gently bubbling on the top. Discarding starter is over rated.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Discarding a weak starter before it peaks makes it weaker.

[@tarasprunger7581]

Is fresh milled hard white flour fine for feeding my starter? Any adjustments to be made for the bread recipe if using fresh milled flour?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes. Fresh milled flour will ferment faster, produce a more dense crumb, and often needs more water added to the recipe because it is a thirstier flour.

[@peggyberryman5601]

Newbie here. So much information to digest and sift through. I was given some starter, 4 yrs. old, that came from the refrigerator. I'm not ready to bake, so I placed it in the refrigerator. I think I need to feed it weekly, but am unsure as to how to do this. Do I divide and feed both portions? The current starter has about 1/2" of hooch on the top. Do I pour that off? Can I take some out and feed, at room temp, to use for bread? And feed the remainder to put back in the refrigerator. I know this can't be as complicated as I'm making it. Thanks for any advice.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. I don’t have a video on refrigerator starter maintenance. You can find more info here. thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-maintenance/

[@4jonahl]

Is there a reason why you don't make a starter of greater volume than 50g? Or, what is the rationale for 50g rather than, say, 150g? Why?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Most people keep a small amount of starter because it reduces the daily discard (if you are baking infrequently and discarding/feeding daily). Then you bulk up the quantity you need for baking before you plan to bake.

[@billabrams4271]

Great video Tom. I went out of town last week for 4 days. But I only put one of my 2 starters in the fridge, the other I left in Proofer at 74 F with a 1-3-3 feeding. I did a 1-1-1 feeding on the fridge one. When I got home I took the fridge one out and let it get to room temp and fed 1-1-1 it doubled in 4 hours. I fed the one in the Proofer 1-2-2 . I already have a dried starter in pantry just in case. Next time I will follow the regimen you described in this video and see how it works out

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. For 4 days in the fridge, 1:1:1 feeding is plenty, in my experience. What did the one in the proofer look like? Seems like it would have eaten all the flour and been pretty hoochy on top?

[@billabrams4271]

@@thesourdoughjourney just a little hoochy . Good thing I dropped the temperature

[@candywalker483]

Great help. What water do you prefer? New to your channel and just starting to watch all your vids and don’t recall you mentioning.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. I use filtered tap water thru my fridge water filter. Any unchlorinated water is fine.

[@cyn4rest]

Great presentation. Thank you. Thanks, too, for tip to dehydrate some as a backup. Question please: How quickly can I change feeding to all whole Grain Flour? I’ve resumed milling my own grains and won’t be buying any flour from store when current AP is used up. Thank you. New subbie ❤

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks! I’d start with a 50/50 mix and gradually transition to 100% over a few weeks.

[@user-nnrbxoc]

A dutch oven test would be interesting. Specifically Staub vs others (Le Creuset?) because Staub has the self-braising lid. I've read reviews where people noticed moister food when cooking. Maybe their lid will help with a better rise

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Interesting. I don’t know if the bread vibes off enough moisture or actually condense and drip down on the loaf, the way self-basting would work.

[@ZiahHill]

Would this method work best too for a 14 day old starter? I’m going on vacation for 5 days and I’d have to leave most of it in the fridge but I may just take some in a smaller jar to maintain

[@thesourdoughjourney]

It should be fine in fridge. It may come out stronger.

[@wendyburston3132]

Great info for future use. Did notice you put your wet spoon into your flour. Not a problem?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

I do that from time to time and it is not a problem. It always picks up dry flour on the spoon and doesn't leave any moisture in the flour. I look for it.

[@carlycrawford1502]

I started a starter yesterday, my day 1, using your directions. I will be leaving for a work trip on day 11 and will be gone for 4 days. What should I do to take care of my starter on Day 11 before I leave? What do I do when I return 4 days later? Thanks!

[@carlycrawford1502]

I also travel 4 days a month for work. Do I refrigerate and go through the process you describe when I get back home each month that you describe in this video?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Feed it before you leave and out it in the fridge, covered but not airtight. When you get home, take it out and let it sit at room temp for 24 hours, then refeed.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

It will bounce back in one or two feedings out of the fridge.

[@carlomartin6156]

I'm not sure what happened with the tarter when you get to bake bread you reuse it after the leave? Feed 1-1-1?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, after using what you need for the loaf, feed the remaining starter 1:1:1. You need to plan ahead to make slightly more starter than you need for your dough. Or in some cases, people will keep these separate. They keep the "mother" starter in a separate jar, then take a small amount of that out to create the "leaven" for the dough. It works essentially the same either way.

[@ccanderson4969]

Are you suppose to store it in the fridge in an airtight container?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Sealed snugly but not airtight if it is glass. If it is plastic, you can seal it airtight.

[@deborahlee3621]

My 2nd time viewing. Still absorbing great techniques. I'm sure I'll be watching again! So much great information.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you!

[@ckrs478]

Hi Tom. What if your rehydrated starter attempts only yield a slight rise but nowhere near double even in 24 hours. Strong alcohol smell, no hooch showing. Thanks….

[@thesourdoughjourney]

you want to wait for it to "peak" (not double). Peak may be small, peak may be large. But never discard and refeed before the peak. "Peak" also can mean "peak activity" i.e., covered with bubbles. Sometimes it may not rise at all, but you should see a noticeable change in something -- height, bubble activity, where it is clearly "past peak." Then it's ok to discard and refeed.

[@ckrs478]

@@thesourdoughjourney Thanks so much! I have been doing that for two full weeks but it still isn’t gaining it’s original 7 year old strength or vigor and the alcohol smell is still strong 24 hours after feeding with only a minimal rise. Clearly it must be out of balance. Should I not discard and let it sit longer before feeding even though the alcohol smell says it’s hungry? I have been feeding 1.1.1. Thank you again!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

If you've been at it for 2 weeks, I'd try something more extreme now. Keep your main batch going with 1:1:1, then create a second small batch for a different method. Take 5g of starter and feed it 25g flour and 25g water. Wait for it to rise. As soon as it peaks, discard all but 5g and feed 25:25 again. This is a peak-to-peak, high feeding ratio. If the starter is really acidic, this will deacidify it in about 5 feedings. You want to watch it closely and always try to catch it right after it peaks (peak height or peak bubble activity). I've done this in my most stubborn cases and it usually works well. If you need to feed it and don't want it to peak overnight, keep it cooler, or even put it in the fridge until morning. Then take it back out. You don't want to miss the peak.

[@ckrs478]

@@thesourdoughjourney I will give that a try, thanks so much for the advice!

[@theshoemanstream2347]

Thank you! I really think you should experiment with different feeding ratios. I’ve been doing 1:10:10 feedings every 24 hours at 68F and it peaks in about 12-16 hours. I find this cycle to be ideal for me. If i want to do long term storage I’ll do a 1:15:25 dry feeding and put it in the fridge. With all of that food, the cold temp, and the dry mix, I’ve never seen it complete the full life cycle and produce any hooch. I’ve only pushed it 3 months though so idk how long it could last.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. That’s a great method. I will test it!

[@KogakuKing]

Can I keep starter in the fridge if I only bake once a week? If so, how best to feed prior to baking? Do I duplicate this method (that would mean going to 1:1:.5 after each baking?)? Best 🍞!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Check out the FAQs here. thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-preparation/

[@KogakuKing]

@@thesourdoughjourney Thanks for your help. Your videos are some of the very best available. Sourdough baking is not a “slam-dunk”. But, the precision and sequencing of your videos provide a clear path which, in turn, equips your viewers with one of the mainstays of sourdough baking… Confidence! Best & thanks

[@BenMyerson-um8me]

So glad you’re posting again! Question: I have a very very active starter but only bake with it once a week on a Saturday. Since I’ve moved and had a lot on it’s been slightly neglected. Do you think the starter would favour room temp but risk only being fed every 48h, or going in the fridge Saturday night and coming out on Wednesday and feeding it daily till Friday evening when I make my levain? I know ideally I’d feed it daily at room temp but that’s not happening atm so need the best way to preserve its strength when I’m being neglectful

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. If you’re baking weekly, I’d keep it in the fridge; then take it out one day or so before baking and do 3 peak-to-peak refreshes with the last one being the leaven build before using it in the dough. I use this method in the summer when I bake less frequently.

[@chantezsusie]

What’s the best thing to do if your refrigerated starter finally raised and a spoonful floats but it’s late at night and I’m tired? Do I leave it out on the counter till morning to refrigerate it till tomorrow morning and see about using it after it’s been on the counter for a couple of hours? Or am I just working against myself and my timing is off? 20:00

[@ForbiddenChocolate]

Hi Tom 👋 New subscriber here and I'm finding your videos very insightful and entertaining. (Love the dad jokes!) I'm an avid home baker but have yet to delve into the world of sourdough breads. Before I dive in, is it possible to make soft sandwich breads and rolls like I make with commercial yeast? My family favors enriched breads and the sourdough breads I've tried in the past haven't had that soft, tender crumb. It would be helpful to know before getting emotionally attached to a starter I've nurtured, only to be disappointed with the results of the finished product. Thank you!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes. I don't make sandwich loaves, but there are lots of sourdough sandwich loaf recipes out there. Generally, you make a standard sourdough loaf, then add some type of fat (milk or oil, for example). Try searching on some sourdough sandwich loaf recipes first and see if they look like what you are envisioning (and if you like the ingredients).

[@lynnvasquez4425]

If my starter only rose for 30% then fell back down its original size, should I discard and feed it again?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes.

[@melanierotert7947]

You are helping me so much!! My starter is only a few weeks old and I’ve been keeping my starter in a 78-80° spot thinking i was it getting going but i have noticed an acidic smell and tha ought that was just part of it. I follow Baker Betties 1:3:3 feeding ratio so i do discard a lot!! I feed whole wheat flour and use distilled or filtered water. My starter rises wonderfully every day but i have not been able to use to leaven a loaf yet. I will put it in a cooler spot but what else would you recommend I change?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Just keep it cooler.

[@fawazhajhamad]

I want to ask here about when i want to bake . When you talk to make a test for the starter and i took a sample to make atest on it !! And after 4 hours reached the maxiumum.. what to use for baking the new sample or the old one ?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Use the one that is closer to peak. They are both very similar.

[@DarkToast121]

Thanks for the many helpful videos, I have a question, after the 4th round of stretching and folding, my dough became more and more liquid, so I baked it because I thought it was already overfermented, but baked it looked extremely underfermented. what can be the reason that the dough became more and more liquid?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks hanks. Usually a weak or acidic starter and/or stale flour. Check out these two videos: How to Double your starter strength in 6 days or less Curse of the Weak Starter

[@lindawilson3071]

Great video Tom, question I’ve been keeping a stiff starter because I keep it on counter and it doesn’t peak during the night. Is there a problem continually keeping a stiff starter.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. No problem at all keeping a stiff starter. They are stronger and a little easier to maintain. They just don’t show the timing of their peak as well.

[@debbiemoore6358]

Tom!!!! I need your help. Leaven in oven overnight with light on. Temp this am is 98 F. It is bubbly and soupy rose about 25%

[@thesourdoughjourney]

98F is very warm. It will be quite acidic. Not sure if l’d use that in dough. It will want to overproof quickly. Or if you need to use it, reduce the quantity down to 5% of flour weight. But it’s risky.

[@keybrown4580]

Newbie here and you got a new sub!! What if it's been in the fridge for only two days? 😅What would be the process and proper ratio? It's currently going on day 11. Day 7 is when I had placed it in the fridge. I would like to try and make a bread on Friday or Saturday.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks. Some helpful info here. thesourdoughjourney.com/faq-starter-preparation/

[@keybrown4580]

@@thesourdoughjourney oh my word, thank you so much!! I really appreciate your help! Going through it right now. 🥹🙏🏻

[@wanderpetal]

In re. erroneous discarding/re-feeding: doesn’t one also end up with an overpopulation of nasties compared with yeasties and lactic acid bacteria, which we were being so patient to burn off when we made our original starter?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

No. The pH of an established starter neutralizes the bad bacteria. Even with a high feeding ratio. And the population of the good stuff massively outnumbers the bad stuff (by millions of times) in an established starter. Nasties don’t stand a chance in an established starter.

[@wanderpetal]

@@thesourdoughjourney I am so glad, because I accidentally ate some 🤣 You can add me to the list of people for whom your procedures, information (the ‘why’ is the aid to memory **I** need), advice, etc. WORKED, the first time, and despite a couple of bonehead errors. Pro-tip: Don’t use a printed dishtowel your mother-in-law bought you at a discount store. Some of the dye transferred to my crust. (The very colorful souvenir linen dishtowel my long-dead parents brought back from Ireland are/were fine, but for consistency I’ll eventually stick with white cotton.)

[@Yupppi]

You might also try to be clever and tare the scale on the container and sourdough starter, then discard and since you've been monitoring your feedings etc, you know exactly how much you had, so you can just monitor the negative weighing until you're satisfied. However, I would always have significantly less starter left in volume than I expected, and I'm willing to make the conclusion that all the CO₂ released is so significant that you're left with even tens of grams less sourdough starter than you have added in flour and water. So using two containers/cups/whatever is almost obligatory, unfortunately. Unless you do the smart guy move of labeling the weight of the jar. That being, in case you're discarding it into compost. These tip videos are really helpful though, it's so difficult to jump into a new thing, especially when it's a living thing, and understand the biology/mechanics enough to be auto-regulating with the care. This is very similar to plant or animal care in many senses, you don't just do the default rule of thumb - you have to observe and react. At least if you have difficult conditions that make the rule of thumb advice not work like miracle. And being more technical minded, it really helps to understand the "rules" rather than have blind recipe. With that you're always ready to deal with the situation, especially now that you give the "alcoholic - yeasty - acidic" scale and how to manipulate each.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I’ve used the tare/difference method in the past. It tends to confuse people, so I’ve used the 2 jar method here.

[@anastasiiamoskalenko4809]

Hi! wondering what to do with my "I think a strong starter". So I fed it 1/1/0.5. First it gave me huge bubbles in the fridge which made me feel proud😊 and about a month now, it smells a little moldy and quite runny. I mix it now and then, but still smth is wrong with my long term storing. Thanks

[@thesourdoughjourney]

If it smells moldy, that is a bad sign. If it actually contains mold, you need to throw it out. It is unrecoverable. If it is just weak, try this, thesourdoughjourney.com/how-to-strengthen-and-deacidify-a-weak-starter-the-peak-to-peak-method/

[@anastasiiamoskalenko4809]

Thanks a lot for the reply! And its really an honor for me to talk to sd master and thanks for a great page and especially the teleportation thing!!😆 Its just that I have a lot of discard and bake with adding dry yeast right now and didnt want to use my "active starter" and tried "put on hold" like yours. I mean, is it maximum around a month what a starter can stay in the fridge without refeeding it even if I fed 1-1-0.5? Well, just making some shortcuts in my understanding sd..or may be I feed this one 1.1.0,5 again? 🙄

[@grazynagracerennick3285]

Hi Tom... I'm Polish-Canadian.... I do Love Rye Bread.... I've tried several times making Sourdough Rye Bread .... it's eatable...but very dense.... I use mixture of Organic Bread Flour and Dark Rye Flour ... Any suggestions for a Lighter Sourdough Rye Bread ?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

I don’t use a lot of rye, but there are some great recipes on The Perfect Loaf website. Also look around for a recipe for “Sourdough Deli Rye.” That’s what we call the lighter rye loaves in the US.

[@mariaeduardabernal9298]

I really like your video, it's been very helpful! But every time I tried this peak-to-peak feeding my starter gets super weak, it takes much longer to rise and doesn't even double in size. Even if I make sure that it started to deflate a bit before feeding it. It only rises normally if I let it collapse completely. Do you think that's a problem or it could be normal?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

It's uncommon, but your starter may reach its peak "population" sometime after it reaches "peak height." I'd go with your intuition. It sounds like you starter needs to rise and fall somewhat before it is at "peak activity." That is definitely possible. The peak "height" can vary significantly from one starter to the next based on the flour/water mix.

[@mariaeduardabernal9298]

@@thesourdoughjourney thank you

[@helenking6558]

What to do if my starter left for 49 days? Had been fed 30g starter, 30 flour and 15 H20. I added the 15 of H20 and it did not rise and is still quite liquidy after 16 hours. Do I discard and feed?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Give it more time. Do not discard and feed until it reactivates.

[@alwynn2233]

My starter is so weird. I felt my starter was weak. My dough takes a long time to ferment to double. It always has good sour taste. I’ve been feeding peak to peak for days, 5 to 7 days. If I feed it 1:2:2 it takes longer to peak, as expected. I’ve done a couple 1:5:5 feedings. It takes longer at night when the temp is lower, as expected. It will barely double with in 4 hours with a 1:1:1 feeding. It never triples. I just did an overnight 1:5:5: feeding, it’s been 12 hours, it has just peaked at slightly more than double. It smells of nothing but yeast. It still seems weak to me and I’m afraid to try a bake with it. I was using 100% bread flour but I’ve since added 10% rye flour a the last couple times. Any advice?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Sounds perfect. It doesn’t need to triple. Just needs to “peak.” Sounds like yours is doing fine.

[@nicolalb695]

Hi Tom, I only get the opportunity to bake every few months so I store my starter in the freezer. Normally on day one after defrosting and feeding at 1:1:1, it becomes bubbly but very liquid with no rise. I normally discard and feed daily until it doubles in volume between 4-6 hrs. This process takes between 4-5 days. From your video, I think on day one when it’s bubbly but liquid, I should just feed with no discard? If possible, please can you experiment with freezing some of your starter when you next go on vacation? As a separate question, if I already have sufficient amount of starter for my Tartine basic country loaf recipe, why don’t I just use that instead of building a levain?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thank you. Yes, I’ll do an experiment with freezing. I’ve done this once before and the starter does come out of the freezer weaker than it comes out of the fridge. I agree that you should just do an initial feeding without discarding as it comes out of the freezer. Some of the yeast cells are destroyed by freezing, so you’re starting with a somewhat diminished population (but freezing will never completely kill off the whole population). You can just use your starter for the Tartine recipe instead of a leaven. That recipe recommends a “young” leaven with a high feeding ratio (1:10:10). This creates a milder flavored loaf, and it de-acidifies the starter so it gives you a longer or faster rise time before the dough starts overproofing. If you really want to replicate that classic loaf, the leaven is a feature of how to do it. But the recipe also works OK just using a starter instead of the leaven. You can make a perfectly fine loaf that way, but the flavor will be slightly more sour and the fermentation may not be as full.

[@khabbaz-99nnn]

Hi.I just wanna ask you if there an effect of. (positively. increasing bacteria yeast) enzymes could be in all purpose flour. because I notice that my starter becomes more active after feeding. With it....and l notice as much as flour or any seed's or fruit.been old not fresh. When making starter it will be active with less time.is that's true??.. thanks for another useful video 👍and don't forget to excuse my English talk ☺️🙏

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Every starter is a little different so it is impossible or say for certain. Some people feed their mature starters all purpose flour because a healthy culture is just breaking it down into sugars for food. I’m not sure about the impact of seeds and fruits.

[@khabbaz-99nnn]

@@thesourdoughjourney thank you 🙏

[@fawazhajhamad]

If i want to bake after 2 weeks .. the equation you advise to put in refrigerator 1:1:0.5 ? Or different equation ?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

For a 2 week rest I would just do a 1:2:2 feeding. 30g starter, 60g flour and 60g water, for example. I’d feed it and put it directly into the fridge.

[@fawazhajhamad]

And before i put in refrigerator... I am now in the active double in size starter . Now as you said make 1:2:2 feeding now . And put directly in the refrigerator ? And after 2 weeks just make another feeding if i see rise ! And if i di not see rise dont discared and add to it?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes; just feed your active starter with. Ore food and refrigerate it. When you take it out, let it come up to room temperature and see what happens.

[@JoseLausuch]

We need T-shirts with the motto: Discarding and refeeding a weak starter makes it weaker!

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Indeed. I literally just read a post on Facebook where someone said their starter came out of the fridge and wasn’t rising. The first response was “discard 2/3rds and feed it twice a day.” 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@JoseLausuch]

@@thesourdoughjourney Well, maybe miracles happen 🤣 BTW, if it's just for a couple of days,I usually store it in the fridge right before peak, to let it peak in the fridge. In that case, you can discard for the next feeding.

[@topgallant32]

Been baking bread since I was 8, all kinds. I have a 400 yr old starter I brought from France some years back. So my point is, I know breads, yeasts, and starters of all sorts. Have made my own by burying it in the forest to start. My point after all the background is to say. This guy has made bread making a pain in the backside. Full of scientific knowledge and words but for me he has made it sound like a pain in the ass. He is factual to a point but it is not that complicated. Do you think for one sec the old sourdoughs would put up with all that crap ? Heck no. This guy needs a life. He admits he doesn’t even back bread per him.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

You are one of the lucky ones who figured it out and probably learned from a good teacher. I work with dozens of people every day who struggle with these issues. I don’t make these videos for fun, I do it because these are the issues home bakers are struggling with.

[@Piery83_]

Hello Tom, can you help me with my sourdough? I have dryed my stiff starter 6 months ago. I didn't placed the powder in the fridge.. three days ago i decided to wake up my starter with 100 gr of powder and 43 gr of water and put it water. Now I'm feeding the starter every 24h 1:1:0.4. At the moment no sign of life 😭😭

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Don’t discard or refeed. Just let it sit and keep it slightly warmer than room temp.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Here are my instructions. If it’s going slower, give it more time and don’t discard. thesourdoughjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/How-to-Rehydrate-Dried-Sourdough-Starter.pdf

[@Piery83_]

@@thesourdoughjourney thanks for the advice. Do you think that is a good idea to maintain the stiff starter under water to see when they start to float?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

No. Keep stirring it up if it separates.

[@BobCoalWater]

I don't make bread during the summer, last year I just left my starter in the back of the fridge for 3 months, never touched it. When I started to make bread again, I simply emptied the ouch, took a spoon of the old starter added flour and water directly from the tap, no measuring and half a day later I was ready to make new bread, never had any problems.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, sometimes that works too.

[@slingshotshooter7536]

I have a 50% hydration starter I am quite happy with it, I have a question related to feeding it before using it to make bread I store 100g of it in the fridge, and before wanting to bake I take it out and feeding it (the amount of flour and water I am feeding is dependent on the number of loaves I want to bake), and after I knead the starter with the feed dough I let it do its thing outside for 4 hours. In the winter I find that those 4 hours are the time I am lacking for maximizing the bulk because I have to wait 4 hours before I can mix the fed starter with the dough, my question is can I feed the starter a day before letting it do its thing outside for 4 hours then pop it in the fridge until the next day then take the portion I need from it to bake the day after and it will still have the same effectiveness?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, that works. It is not exactly the same but is close enough, in my opinion. I would put the dough back in the fridge before it fully reactivates, because it will take a few hours to get back to fridge temp and will keep rapidly fermenting in the fridge for the first few hours. I would definitely give it a try. My starter comes out of the fridge very strong. All starters are different and some prefer cooler versus warmer temperatures.

[@slingshotshooter7536]

@@thesourdoughjourney thank you for answering by "putting the dough" you mean my starter after I feed it yes? so you suggest I not feed my starter and keep it outside for 4 hours and then into the fridge but rather feed it and put it in the refrigerator ? correct me if I am wrong

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Yes, sorry I was referring to your starter, not the dough. Feed it and put it in the fridge before it peaks.

[@slingshotshooter7536]

@@thesourdoughjourney thank you for the clarity, do you suggest leaving it some time outside before putting it in the fridge ?

[@thesourdoughjourney]

@@slingshotshooter7536 Yes, if you normally leave it out for 4 hours, I would feed it, and leave it out for 2-3 hours then put it in the fridge. It will continue maturing in the fridge and the next day it will be very close to where it would have been if you had left it out for 4 hours.

[@frankfurter7260]

The opening joke gets very old. Stop doing it.

[@thesourdoughjourney]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@DeborahKeleman]

I like your opening. Keep doing it!

[@Nivlaek5thAge]

dude. go serve your fellow man and create your own teaching video and post it to youtube instead of criticizing. geesh.

[@mariaeduardabernal9298]

You're a rude person. Enjoy the video and try to learn something from it instead of complaining abou such vain things