Maintaining Sourdough Starter Without the Mess - Bake It Better With Kye

If you're just getting into the game of sourdough, this episode of Bake It Better With Kye is sure to teach you a thing or two! How to feed your starter, how to keep it happy, and how to avoid the most common mistakes...Kye is here to help.
For details about sourdough care and maintenance, please see our recipe: Feeding and Maintaining Your Sourdough Starter. And for an even deeper dive into the how-to of all things sourdough, check out our comprehensive Sourdough Baking Guide.
Note: When Kye uses the term "fed," sourdough starter in this video, she's referring to a starter that's ripe or mature - ready to be used in a recipe. Learn more about sourdough starter at its peak in our blog article: Ripe Sourdough Starter.

[@kathleenclougherty828]

This was helpful. The visuals of starters at different stages is a great reference.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We're happy to hear you found it useful, Kathleen! Kat@KA

[@Anand-qb1wp]

That looks like a lot of starter. How much starter (in g) will 50 g of flour and water feed? Loving my KA flours for bread making!

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We're curious if you're referring to maintaining a smaller sourdough starter? If so, we've got a great blog article for you: bakewith.us/49lah. Thanks, and happy baking! Ethan@KA

[@Buget-Holodeck]

I made sourdough starter from scratch and the resulting loaf was unimpressive. I probably didn't do something right but the result was I thought I didn't like sourdough. I bought the King Arthur starter and my first loaf was amazing. I'm kind of screwed now because everyone in the house wants me to keep making bread. I'm not trying to be a baker but there is no going back now. Thanks for nothing King Arthur, I'm a good baker now and I don't think my wife will let me stop making bread.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

It's tough being the bread baker in the family, but someone's got to do it! 😁 Kat@KA

[@katherinesmith9985]

I use my discard to make my levain for my bread recipe. Then, I can keep a smaller mother batch.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there, Charles! Many of the recipes on our website use a cup to 2 cups of starter so our maintenance instructions call for keeping a bit on hand. We know there are lots of ways to maintain a sourdough culture though and are just showing one way here. Be well and happy baking! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@mackenziemorgan7054]

I have gone literal years without feeding my refrigerated starter before. I've had it since 2013.

[@Xuevium]

Information that was not included: it is also now dead and dormant.

[@mackenziemorgan7054]

@@Xuevium dormant, yes. Dead, nope. It took like 3 days to wake up when I started using it again. Pre-pandemic I would only use it to make bread for Thanksgiving on the in-law years.

[@Xuevium]

@@mackenziemorgan7054 Well dang, i guess yeast is insanely resilient 🧡

[@syd1982]

Wow really ??????? Is the key to just feed it 2x day for 3 days to wake it up ? I feel so bad feeding & discarding everyday when i cant bake everyday !!

[@mackenziemorgan7054]

@@syd1982 yep!

[@bethanyritchey4261]

How much starter was in the crock before the discard ? Wondering what percentage the 50 g discard was. I’m currently using the method on your site for 113g starter, water, flour am/pm so I’m using 226 f of flour a day just for feeds. I’d prefer to do 50g maintenance feeds like this and slowly accumulate discard for recipes.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Bethany, Kye uses a 1:1:1 ratio of starter, flour and water. As a result, the 50 grams of starter she removed contains 25 grams water and 25 grams flour. You can simply switch to a smaller amount of starter that you maintain. Here is a method for maintaining a smaller starter: bakewith.us/465b6. Good luck and happy baking! Jonathan@KA

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

That's correct, Ola! We'd suggest checking out our Sourdough Starter recipe: www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-starter-recipe for more details. We suggest starting with whole-grain flour since it'll have extra nutrients to help jumpstart your culture. We hope this can help and happy baking! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

That very much depends on the type of bread you're making and how long you plan to let it rise, Graciela. For beginners, we always recommend starting out by following a recipe, such as this one: www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/naturally-leavened-sourdough-bread-recipe. Happy baking! -👩‍🍳Kat

[@sweetk2456]

Love love love your apron! It's not available at the on line store :( Oh and very helpful tips for our Tamagotchis ;)

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Not yet, at least. We'll be updating our online store pretty soon with lots of fun goodies, so do keep an eye out for those. And thanks for all the support. It's always a pleasure for us to share the joys of baking (and Tamagotchi tips). Ethan@KA

[@phantomx3.0]

I'm always super worried about my starter, just kind of do stuff to it and my baked goods turn out great! But, I can't get it to bubble a lot.. 🖤

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Starters are hardy creatures, but you're lucky if you can get it to work well for you while caring for it a little haphazardly. We encourage you to check out our Complete Guide to Sourdough for more tips and advice, even if things are working for you right now: bakewith.us/cqnk8 Happy baking! Jesse@KA

[@reneemojeske1959]

you also mention 1 part water 1 part flour same ratios to your feed....well in the sour dough starter I have from you all it says when feeding feed (1/2 c water to 1Cup flour) to my feed? now I'm confused.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

That's a great question! The 1:1 ratio is by weight. Since water is around twice as heavy as flour, 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of flour are both about 113 grams. We encourage folks to measure by weight whenever possible, as it makes keeping a sourdough starter (and all of baking in general) so much easier! Kat@KA

[@dianalieskovsky8729]

Oh thank you 🙏 your very good. Love the way you explained everything. You know you can always learn something and that’s what you did for me. Wonderful 😉

[@isabelnegron658]

Hello, can I start my sourdough starter with all-purpose flour? Thank you!!!!

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Isabel! You can indeed. We tend to use Whole Wheat or Rye if possible, since they're higher in protein content and help your starter get off on a strong start. Using All-Purpose will do fine, but expect it to take a few days longer to get really active. Thanks so much! Ethan@KA

[@johnwiest7203]

Thanks! This was very helpful. Useful sample illustrations of how and when sourdough looks good and "overly good". Video was good, and audio passable. Perhaps improve mic'ing on next go round. (Trying to be helpful, not critical.)

[@chanceDdog2009]

OMG. Becky. I'm so excited,!

[@ValentinaRutman]

Great tutorial, I followed your instruction. But... my sourdough starter came out too thick, any thoughts on how to make it less thick? Is bread flour OK to use to make a starter?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there, Valentina! If your starter isn't the proper consistency you can add a touch more water. Keep in mind though that it will thin out as it ferments so if it's a little bit thicker when you first feed it, that's OK. You can use bread flour but because bread flour has a higher amount of protein, it has more starch, which will slow down the fermentation process and can make it seem like the starter isn't as active as it should be. We hope this can help and happy baking! Morgan@KA

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! In this video, Kye is keeping a smaller amount of starter on hand, as long as you're feeding your starter equal amounts of flour and water by weight you'll be good to go. We hope this helps to clarify and happy baking! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@jsea3828]

I am trying my very first sourdough starter and understand that we are to use equal weight of flour and water but mine was so incredibly stiff that it didn't look correct. I read that it should have the consistency of pancake batter. So on day 1 I added just enough water to make it like thick pancake batter and then this morning (day 2) I only used 90 grams of flour and 113 water. It sure seems to be doing well. I see bubbles and it is about 12 hours from when I fed it this morning and I see it is now starting to rise. BUT I'm a little worried about my flour and water weight not being equal. What should I do on day 3 with 2 feedings. OR should I throw this away and start over using equal flour and water even though it's like a very thick paste and difficult to mix flour in.

[@popcorn7657]

Wow very good instructor. She is clear and it’s nice to see the different phases. Very good descriptions. I’ve been experiencing for 1 year but recently I noticed my progress was gone. So I needed to verify what I was doing wrong. I am keeping this video as a reference. Merci.

[@MonicaSĪGÑofJõñãhYUNIS]

Woah... 😆

[@SaladVision]

Kye, I'm relatively new to sourdough. I've been wondering how to maintain and feed my starter properly. I've been taking it out of my KA crock, cleaning the crock and refilling it with my freshly fed starter. That's worked great. BUT ... this makes everything so much easier! Thank you!!!!!

[@institches100]

Thank heavens I checked to see if there was a tut on this.....I followed the directions that came with the starter. Any who... I will follow this and see how it goes.p

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

You're in for so many deliciously baked treats now that you have a sourdough starter. We'd love to help, if you have any questions 🧡 Happy baking! -🍮Nicole

[@carloszenteno]

Do we discard the "hooch"? or do we stir it with the starter and then discard and feed? Thanks.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Either way works, Carlos! Different bakers have their own preferences, but I always just mix it back into my starter. Kat@KA

[@carloszenteno]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany Thanks Kat.

[@trevorlon1]

Can you use the discarded starter to make sourdough bread?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! That depends on what you mean by sourdough bread. If you're a traditionalist, sourdough bread means bread that is naturally leavened through fed starter, which won't work with unfed (discard) starter. But if you're just looking to add some sourdough flavor to a recipe leavened with commercial yeast, you can do that by following the advice set out in this article: bakewith.us/y9cby5. Happy baking! Kat@KA

[@comet969]

First one I made went perfectly used it and then went to fridge maintenance after first feeding being in fridge it was pure acetone smelling and could get it back to sour smell trash. Every one thereafter has gotten the black and went bad. Any 💡. My house is always between 73 in winter and 75 in summer since I have severe allergies I can’t open the house up so it’s always at these temps I’ve tried AP’ and whole wheat I also have bread flour

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We're sorry to hear that you're having trouble with sourdough starters! How often are you feeding your starter when it's at room temperature? We recommend feeding the starter every 12 hours, for more details on this check out our Feeding and Maintaining Your Sourdough Starter page: bakewith.us/3xmkrb Our Sourdough starter troubleshooting blog article will also be a helpful resource: bakewith.us/3xmkrb We hope this can help and we look forward to chatting further with you about your sourdough starter! Kindly, Morgan@KA

[@comet969]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany I’ve tried 12 hours and 24 then twelve I gave up for a few years and giving it another try this time I’m following the One on King Arthur’s website 🤞 my biggest problem now whenever I try is I get the black bad looking or the nail polish acetone smell every time is it still ok after it looks like the black dark color or smells like acetone

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Comet969, dark-colored liquid isn't a sign of danger. It's a sign that your starter needs feeding. If you are feeding every 12 hours or once a week and keeping the starter in the fridge, you should not be getting this dark liquid or smell. It would be helpful if you took a look at our blog, Sourdough Starter Troubleshooting, Part 2. bakewith.us/45sbt6 👍🏼 Jonathan@KA

[@crankychef]

Can we get more from Kye? Love her energy and she just seems so sweet 🩷

[@stinger4583]

Thanks, Kye. Is it true that you should only use unbleached flour and good filtered water when making sourdough? Also, I like a tangy sourdough, do you have a video on how to do this and how to properly make a sourdough starter from scratch?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We've got lots of helpful info for you! BUT FIRST, unbleached flour is always better. It's not been dried out through chlorination, and will always perform better. As for water, you want to make sure it's clean, but it's not necessary to use filtered or distilled or anything like that. IF your water is a bit more 'treated,' or has a bit more of a chlorine smell to it, just measure out the amount you need and let it sit out on the counter a few hours. All that chlorine will evaporate. ALRIGHT! For a tangier sourdough, there's a few tricks you can do. Let the dough rest a bit longer, or add citric acid. But also check out the tips on our Extra Tangy Recipe here: bakewith.us/6hst4. As for a Starter Recipe, we've got you covered for sure. Here's our recipe itself: bakewith.us/z7dvc. AND, here's our Essential Guide to sourdough Baking: bakewith.us/99p2e. There's loads of tips, recipes, and videos to enjoy there. You'll be whipping up the tangiest loaves in no time! Thanks so much for reaching out, and of course: HAPPY BAKING! Ethan@KA

[@br4653]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[@deborahshaka8231]

How long can you keep the discard in the fridge (if you don't want to use it right away in waffles, etc.)?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi, Deborah! It's best when used within a week, but it's still good for another week or so after, it just won't have the same nice texture. Kat@KA

[@deborahshaka8231]

Thank you so much!

[@Minnesota_Mama_Bear]

I'm done with discards! I've found a much better option that doesn't have me discard. 💚🌞

[@syd1982]

What is the option i feel so wasteful throwin out my discard

[@Minnesota_Mama_Bear]

@@syd1982 I feed once a day and use my starter as there is enough. Cracker A are a delicious way to use up any extra starter. Yummy

[@syd1982]

@@Minnesota_Mama_Bear thank u !!!!

[@WILDMACK]

Now I'm totally confused. Your video shows lets say 60 grams then you add back 30 grams of water and 30 grams of flour getting you back to the quantity you removed. But, when you go to your web site it shows to remove 113g leaving 113g but then says to add 113g of water and 113g of flour, so it's double what your video is saying to half each one to get back the same quantity?? I don't get it???

[@ssl.5825]

Great video.. but the sound quality is not very good, sound clarity varies when the camera does a close up.. An issue for people with hearing loss..

[@keithlucas6260]

Then there's what's called a "poolish" which begins the process the night before, and then the next day "feeds" the mixture with equal parts of flour and water along with added yeast and salt. This is then kneaded until combined and then allowed to rise for an hour. From there I do the four traditional folds/rest required for ciabatta bread, and bake on a cast iron griddle in parchment paper over a cast iron skillet with a cup of water poured in. This way you're not constantly attending a "starter mix" for those of us with interrupted lives (like having a horse ranch). There's nothing like having the chores done at the end of the day and bringing out fresh bread from the oven, slicing off an end piece, drizzling it with butter, olive oil and sprinkled with basil.....

[@gracielaconejero848]

How much of the sourdough starter do I use if I am baking bread? Thank you, Graciela

[@charlessmith7911]

You have a massive mother starter; you surely don’t discard that large amount of starter each day. Why would you need that much starter?

[@Summer-jc9yx]

Can I use a half gallon jar with a screw lid on it?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Sure! Just don't tighten the lid all the way. Happy baking! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@sherry3661]

I liked your old logo better…I would buy stuff just for the knight

[@yvettekassin]

when feeding once a week from the fridge we still discard ? and how much starter should be left in the jar + flour+ water ?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! Welcome to sourdough baking! Yes, you will always discard. This will allow for a healthy balance of acetic and lactic acid development and plus, if you didn't discard, there would be a LOT of starter in you home, Trust me. Kye uses a 1:1:1 ratio of starter, flour and water. As a result, the 50 grams of starter she removed contains 25 grams water and 25 grams flour. Enjoy! Elisabeth@KA

[@MadWithPowerBand]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany I received the Sourdough Tips booklet with my order. Kye mentions 50 g, but the booklet specifies 113 g. Can you use any amount?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We recommend that beginners start out closer to 100 grams to give you the best chance of success with your starter, but once it's fully mature, do feel free to downsize! Kat@KA

[@yvettekassin]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany great! thank you

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

👍🏼 Jonathan@KA

[@oladiercks5916]

My question how did you start it? Did you do 1 cup of flour to 1/2 of water?

[@tebby2105]

This was a great video! I have1 question, how do you get your starte to completely fill the crock you have the original stater in for this video?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! The starter here is ripe, so it's risen quite a bit. It's also likely that Kye has also increased the amount of starter she has on hand to prepare for baking a recipe or two! You can make your starter as big or small as you'd like, you just want to be sure that you keep the same ratio of 1 part flour, 1 part water, 1 part culture (by weight). We hope this helps! Morgan@KA

[@beckyboo303]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany I am not understanding, I thought she pulled out 50 g to discard then added 25 g flour and 25 g water

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Becky! Kye is creating a smaller starter here, around 100g, so she removed half (50g) and then added back in equal amounts of flour and water to build the starter back up to the 100g she wanted to keep. Hopefully that makes better sense, but please do let us know if you've got further questions. Thanks! Ethan@KA

[@mackenziemorgan7054]

@@beckyboo303 I think they mean she increased the amount she had on hand *before* this video was made. You can feed without discarding if you want to just always have a bigger stash on hand.

[@pattyfigarola5057]

@@mackenziemorgan7054 That makes sense - thank you!

[@OhGee92]

Good video, excellent advice. Thanks

[@RobertWhite-od7fv]

Yea. U sure know the bugs in our questionable baking minds. Strong intuitive grasp with clarity. Kind of rare these days. U should indeed be sponsored. Nice presentations

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Glad you're enjoying our videos, Robert! -👩‍🍳Kat

[@cindypalumbo7503]

Very helpful video!! As a newbie to sourdough this really helped answer my questions!! Thank you.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We're so glad to hear it! -👩‍🍳Kat

[@Panda8ngel]

Question: if i feed my starter with all purpose flour, can i put it in a recipe that uses bread four or whole wheat flour? Do i need to switch the flour I'm feeding it to match the flour I'm baking with?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Welcome, Amanda! The type of flour for the starter does not need to be the same as the flour in the loaf. We have a lafly guide to preferments (www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2020/02/05/baking-with-preferments), and a Sourdough guide www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/sourdough) Hoping these help! 😊 -🥐Lily

[@Panda8ngel]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany thanks so much,!!

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

You're welcome 😊 Happy baking, Amanda! -🥐Lily

[@susanhunt9710]

I just ordered your starter can you post a video about to start . I’m so scared I’m going to screw it up. I bought 2 of your starters

[@johnclarke6647]

What has happened to KA bread flour? In fact, I cannot find bread flour, anywhere, locally. I use my discards to bake with but I also feed them every day, just like my starter jar. They are both starters

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi John, I'm sorry that you can't find our bread flour locally. Demand for our products has sharply multiplied, outpacing the speed at which new products can be created and delivered even as our mills run at full capacity and we’ve added another mill to the King Arthur Flour family. Hopefully, our store locator can help you track down any nearby carriers of our products: bakewith.us/2xkx3. Also, keep an eye on our website as more and more products are becoming available. Kindly, Jonathan@KA

[@greenlady43]

I tried making the sour dough biscuits, failed. My biscuits were flat, no rise. How much is in the crock? Mine hasn’t ever been that full

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Linda! When it comes to starters, amount isn't always as important as activity. As in, the starter here is VERY active. It's well fed, lively, and well established. Often though, our starters will be a little less active, which leads to bakes with a disappointing lack of rise. We usually address this by making sure the starter that we use, either straight from the crock, or as a discard, is well fed and active. And really the best way to do that is to feed it, let it rest somewhere warm, and rise up to full capacity. It takes a little practice, but we all get there. Have a quick read through of our blog post on Ripe Starter (bakewith.us/qbp8f), and do indeed let us know if there's any other questions you might have. In the meantime, Happy Baking! Ethan@KA

[@reneemojeske1959]

so i had 2 different discards in the fridge both put in 2 different bowls on same day. my question is I decided to combined them. is that ok or did I just ruin my starters? also I'm new to this as well. SO let me get this right I take out of fridge (I leave it in there ) because I don't bake everyday then I scoop how ever much I need for a recipe leave that at room temp until bubbles then bake my bread with it?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Good morning, Renee! Your starter should be just fine! When you're going to bake with your starter that has been in the fridge, you'll want to take it out of the fridge the day before you plan to bake and feed the starter. It's best to do this about 8 hours before you'll be baking so that your starter is ripe (bakewith.us/xyarkv) and ready to leaven a dough. We hope this can help to clarify! Kindly, Morgan@KA

[@zedbaby72]

Sounds like too much waste how about keep much smaller amount and keep in refrigerator. Just hate to waste

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

David, you can certainly maintain a smaller amount of starter. Here is our article, A Smaller Sourdough Starter: bakewith.us/3wampm Kindly, Jonathan@KA

[@sumSum5853]

After taking out of the fridge, how long until I can use the starter? Also, how long do I need to wait to make my bread after feeding the starter?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hey there! You can feed the starter right after taking it out of the fridge or use it in a recipe calling for discard. If it's been in the fridge for a few days it'll need to be fed before using it in a recipe calling for "ripe" or "fed" starter. After feeding the starter, it'll take about 6 to 8 hours for the starter to become bubbly throughout and roughly double in size. At this point, the starter and ready to be used to leaven bread. We hope this can help! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@pattyfigarola5057]

I just got a huge box from King Arthur this afternoon and am so excited to begin making sourdough starter and collecting the discard. The crock is huge - do I just use that for the starter or to collect the discard that I collect?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Patty! How exciting! 🧡 You could use the crock for either, we use it to store the starter in so that it has room for expansion when it's ripe. We hope you enjoy your sourdough journey! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@CookingWithTheCajun]

thanks for the video

[@framboise001]

Hi. Love the apron! Can you advise on how to start a brand new starter in hot weather? We are in a heatwave now and sometimes my kitchen gets just above 80°. Is that ok? What temp water should I use to start/feed it? Also, once it's established and kept in fridge, how long before you want to use it/feed it should you take it out of fridge? For example, if your schedule is discarding/feeding it on Sat mornings? Thanks so much. Love your products, but mostly your customer svc and interaction!!!

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

ALL good questions, Framboise. Your temp should be OK, but watch out for it not to outlive it's home. We go with room temp, which varies, but somewhere around 70 degrees (which, yes, seems like an arbitrary measuring system during a heatwave). If it's resting in the fridge, give it a feeding and let it double in size before baking. As long as it's well established, you're good to go from there. So let's say you want to bake up an amazing Loaf of Saturday Sourdough, we'd take it out and feed it Friday afternoon, and let it do it's thing overnight. BUT ALSO, have a look here at our Essential Baking Guide to Sourdough Baking: bakewith.us/457zc. LOTS more tips, tricks, recipes, and help to be found. And of course, never hesitate reaching out to us. Have fun, and HAPPY BAKING! Ethan@KA

[@49lucky]

I always have to go look up grams????

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi! I'm somewhat unclear on your question, could you please specify? Are you attempting to convert volume measurements to grams? -🍰Grace

[@49lucky]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany yes always

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

I understand if that process is getting tiresome! I'm not sure if this is the answer you're hoping for, but I would highly suggest purchasing a scale (shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/essential-digital-scale). It will make your baking process so much faster, more consistent, and there's fewer dishes! No conversion necessary when you're already working in grams! -🍰Grace

[@kell_checks_in]

Please buy better mics!

[@shelleystalkerhalik3543]

Your Basic Sourdough Bread recipe is the best. So easy, I make it every couple of days.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Thank you for baking some delicious sourdough along with us, Shelley! -🍮Nicole

[@isabellaceballos4050]

So when making the bread do I use the mother culture or the discard?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Isabella, you use the amount that you built for the recipe with the surplus going back into the fridge to perpetuate the starter for next time. Our sourdough guide may be helpful to you: bakewith.us/8tb6wb Happy baking! Jonathan@KA

[@jasonc3894]

0:25 that fly by the bananas

[@benhael3624]

So basically when you want to use it pull it out of the fridge early morning. Feed it. Wait 3 or 4 or 5 or however many hours till it has doubled in size. Then bake your bread with it and put the remaining back in the fridge. Is this right?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! That depends on how much starter you keep on hand, the health of your starter, and your own individual schedule. My starter, for example, is much smaller than the amount called for in most recipes, so I'll take it out of the fridge, feed it once every 12 hours for a few feedings without discarding any, then bake with it 8 hours after the final feed when it has reached its peak. But if you keep a lot of healthy starter or only need a very small amount for your recipe, the schedule you've outlined should work. Happy baking! -👩‍🍳Kat

[@benhael3624]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany Its so annoying that we have to make our own bread to keep all the chemicals and frankengrains out. Even the best store bought breads slow my digestion and make me tired. Thanks for your videos.

[@hirsutehudson8600]

Great video! Suggestions on size of mason jars, lids, etc for Sourdough Starter? Live in small 1BR in San Francisco and would rather use what I have instead of buying more containers.. Also saw on the KA site that you can make your own starter from flour and water - brilliant! I just received some dried starter I bought off eBay. Would I do anything differently? Have 5 x5 pound bags of Whole Wheat flour on hand with a 2# bag of 00 flour. Will whole wheat alone be good enough to bake everything or do I need to get other kinds?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

How fun! I like to use a quart size jar for my starter because I don't like to move it to a larger container when I'm bulking it up to bake a bunch of bread, but a pint would probably work just fine for most folks! Regarding your dehydrated starter, you'll want to follow the instructions for reviving a dried starter here: bakewith.us/bdf4r. (Skip down to Step 6: Bring your sourdough starter back to life.) Whole wheat will be just fine for feeding your starter, but for baking, you'll likely want some type of white flour as well, either bread flour or all-purpose flour. Most regular bread bakers will keep both of those on hand, but either one will do to get you started. Happy baking! Kat@KA

[@luv2garden132]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany my starter blows the top off if I keep it in a quart jar with a lid that just sits on it. I moved to a 44 fl ounce jar. They're Essos brand from Amazon, with the silicone ring removed from around the wood lid.

[@joanshealy1662]

These old outdated videos need better audio equipment like a good camera and microphone would be helpful

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

For sure! This was filmed early in the pandemic when our employee-owners were filming from home for the first time without any specialized equipment. 💛 -🍮Kat

[@redtango75]

@joanshealy1662 from the date you realize this was made in 2020 aka pandemic time, right?

[@barbarafallin2038]

What's wrong with using fast active yeast?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Barbara! There's nothing wrong with it, sourdough is just another way of baking. We don't recommend using a rapid-rise yeast for recipes with multiple rises though, it won't have enough oomph to leaven the dough through both rises. Happy baking! -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@barbarafallin2038]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany I do no - knead bread, because if I can only use one hand,thanks for sharing. Do they taste any different, I do use your unbleached bread flour only

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Sourdough bread usually has a bit deeper flavor to it and a bit of a tangy note from the starter. -👩‍🍳Morgan

[@barbarafallin2038]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany oh ok thanks, I was wondering, what was the difference in Artisan bread ,and sourdough

[@wanderlust101]

What's the best flour to use for a starter, AP or Bread? Is there a benefit to use whole wheat?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi there! We recommend using all-purpose flour because it's more readily available. BRead flour can be used but it has a bit more starch in its makeup which can take longer for the starter to break down, making it a tad sluggish. Whole wheat is a great option for getting a starter going as the extra nutrients are very beneficial, you can also use it to maintain the sourdough starter long term. We hope this helps! Kindly, Morgan@KA

[@jappojappy]

AP and bread seems to work very similarly. WW however seems accelerate and boost fermentation. I refresh my starter with a Bread:WW, 4:1 mix.

[@bethfurry7461]

No picture!!!

[@Leba2006]

Where can I buy KA starter? I bought some before, but I can't seem to find it in your online store anymore. Thx

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Leba! You can find our sourdough starter here: bakewith.us/qrdwq Or by searching for "sourdough starter" under the Shop section on our website. We hope this helps and happy baking! Morgan@KA

[@diannasmith7119]

On their site

[@domarco22]

Polish

[@barbaltman6198]

Thanks for the help!

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We're glad this helped you, Barb! 😄 -🥐Lily

[@fionn5305]

This was great information thank you for so much of your time. I have to check to see if King Arthur is back in stock for flour :-)

[@fredestair7360]

I live in a north suburb of Chicago and it’s back by me

[@fionn5305]

@@fredestair7360 thank you I will check . Today I am homebaking "Sourdough Pain De Mie"

[@diannasmith7119]

I was taught never to use metal with starter. Is this not standard.

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Dianna, Stirring your starter with a metal spoon or placing it in a metal bowl won't kill your starter. While we don't recommend making or keeping your starter in contact with reactive metals like copper or aluminum, stainless steel is harmless. Happy baking! Jonathan@KA

[@diannasmith7119]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany thank you. I have only ever used wood and plastic to stir only store in a crock

[@rosaredondo1598]

Good morning I was just listening to your video very nice video. Question when you feed your starter for baking from your mother starter left it overnight bubbled up but I believe I need to feed it again to get the proper rise for baking a sourdough bread how much should I feed it water the ratios you recommend?

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

We tend to stick to even proportions of starter, water, flour of 113 grams each. But, if you wanted to boost it a bit you could add additional flour, but especially whole wheat or rye flour. That would get it quite active and perfect for baking. Give it a go, and let us know how it works out. Ethan@KA

[@rosaredondo1598]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany thank you!

[@rosaredondo1598]

Now I’m actually experimenting with your keto flour and my starter. Is that even possible? Let’s see. Today trying my starter instead of an active starter in as n envelope 🤷‍♀️

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hello Rosa! Experimentation is the first path to success. Let us know how it goes for you. 😊 Robyn@KA

[@kathrynstalder4702]

Great video. Extremely helpful visuals. I am distracted by so much hand waving.

[@jojoscoulos]

She keeps rolling her eyes and flapping her hands… very difficult to watch

[@Hazel2346]

I live in Florida and didn't feed my sourdough for a couple of days and it turned black on top so I scooped the top off and took the clean starter put in a clean bowl and started again should u have thrown it out it smells strong is it still good or should throw it out it's bubbly

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

Hi Hazel, as long as it is not pink or orange you should be fine. Happy baking! Jonathan@KA

[@Hazel2346]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany Thank you so much for responding to my question so quickly

[@KingArthurBakingCompany]

It's our pleasure, Hazel! Ethan@KA

[@Hazel2346]

@@KingArthurBakingCompany by the way I love King Arthur flour it's the only brand I use and when then store was out of it I went to 5 different stores to find and also tried to order it on line with no success I have who was also on the lookout for it and she found at Target I was thrilled to have it only bought one cause I didn't want to be a piggy I so glad for videos Thanks for being there

[@scriptkeeper8243]

Mess free? Proceeds to make a mess..

[@TheStockwell]

Thank you for throwing away your venerable and beloved company logo - and changing the name of the company. You seem thrilled. Swell. 😒