Sourdough Starter Maintenance and Frequently Asked Questions

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Need extra support and inspiration with your whole grain sourdough baking or home milling? Come and join the Elly’s Everyday member community! 🌾 (it’s lots of fun) www.buymeacoffee.com/ellyseveryday/membership Mockmill information and discounts for Elly’s Everyday viewers are available here: www.ellyseveryday.com/home-milling-mockmill Thanks for watching, please see the video description for more information and links.

[@bnalejandro7]

Where did you get that jar? Also how would you substitute with all purpose flour

[@libbyholt3863]

I'm very grateful for all the videos I've watched about sourdough. I've learned a lot, but was beginning to feel frustrated & intimidated by the exacting and varying rules about weights & procedures. I watched them multiple times and started taking notes to try and consolidate all this information into some kind of reasonable, doable process that I might be able, realistically, to follow. Then, I found you, Ms. Elly, and it was like seven 5# bags of strong bread flour were lifted from my shoulders! Thank you!! Mounting pressure has been replaced by inspiration. I started my starter last night. She got her first feeding this morning. I'm still too insecure to return my $15 digital scales, but I have made a solemn commitment to this fledgling colony. In support of my vow, I'm determined to emotionally bond with my starter. To that end, and with this being Mother's Day and all, I've decided to name her Hazel, after my dearly departed mom, a lovely and practical woman, like you.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh Libby, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this comment. I'm very moved, and SO pleased that my videos have been so helpful and liberating for you! That's exactly why I made them, and again and again I am rewarded by the lovely feedback I get from so many people all over the world. Enjoy your time bringing Hazel to life. I'm sure you'll do your dear mum very proud. Take care, and thank you again x

[@eleanorroberts8458]

Hi, you're my best instructor on you tube. Bless you and thank you

[@GCRL1000]

Many thanks, Elly, for taking the time and trouble to record this video. It's such a pleasure to watch: full of information and tips; good examples; nifty follow-up and *everything* is accessible and easy to understand. You're a wonderful encouragement for people to get with sourdough bread-making! My starter is called Boris 2.0 in honour of your famous and well-travelled original. He's doing great, sitting there in the 'fridge, humming along until his next opportunity to raise up a loaf!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh Jenna, thank you so much! I'm so glad you are enjoying my sourdough resources, and so honoured that you have named your starter after my dear Boris - may Boris 2.0 live to a ripe old age with like his namesake! ;) Thank you again x

[@bcrouch2626]

@@EllysEverydaySoapMaking you could freeze the discard from a healthy start and use it later .

[@patriziahaas6295]

@@bcrouch2626 Yes, I have just taken one of mine out of the freezer last week and already made a nice bread with it. It was frozen from "fresh", not dried before, and I kept it in there for several months. I just let it come to room temperature and the I fed it with fresh flour & water.

[@sweetshelbs1014]

I was searching for answers why my starter is not rising. I came across her video and you have e planned it so well and finally able to understand why we discard it and the amount/logic with regards the feeding. So I tried it last night. And this morning, they are so happy again. Thank you :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome.

[@sgtjenko]

I've watched so many videos on this and by the end still had no idea what to do - Thank you so much for explaining in such detail. I am brand new to to this and I really don't have a lot of time so I was very pleased to hear you can just take it out of the fridge and use straight away :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're welcome Simon, thanks for your feedback. I have other videos which show a basic sourdough bread making demonstration too if that would help. Good luck with your baking!

[@sgtjenko]

Thanks Elly will do - Would it be a mistake to use a bread making machine just to mix the sourdough, it's a pretty cheap machine, nothing fancy? It's just that the techniques seem very precise for kneading dough?

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

No not at all! I've heard of many people who use bread makers to knead their dough. Some people knead their dough (by hand, by machine of some sort), some people don't knead at all (that would be me, usually), and others are everywhere in between! There are infinitely many ways to make great sourdough bread. Don't be bullied by anyone who tells you there is a right way to do it. It's just bread - you mix it, proof it and bake it in whichever way you like :)

[@sgtjenko]

Like your style Elly and if it works, it works! I just can't wait to get going.. My starter is starting to bubble, thank you for filling me in :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

No worries at all. Enjoy it, and good luck!

[@ariainman5383]

After 4 years of Sourdough Bread Baking....Final REAL Success and it is because of you ELLY. Thank you. As Unity wrote....I understand the Sour Dough Starter ...NOT filling the jar, with feedings but leaving small amount and feeding. IT WORKED. My sourdough starter was fine but only NOW does it have "large healthy looking holes". The Sourdough Baking has IMPROVED. AND keeping the jar clean is much easier. Thanks again Elly.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you so much Aria - that's just wonderful! Congratulations to you!

[@zsuzsannaorthodoxouknitwear]

I love your easy and natural explanation in plain human language. Thank you !!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you.

[@moniquehenderson156]

Rewatching this video again. For the umpteenth time. Still love it. Changed my (sourdough) life and simplified it forever, let me tell ya!! Keep up the brilliant work, Elly.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Monique, yes, it's an oldie but a goodie!

[@AdrianClement]

Of the many tutorials Iv watched on the subject, you are the only one who answered the real questions. Thank you. It finally makes sense.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks so much Adrian. Have you seen my new bread channel? All my sourdough videos are going over there now. Just thought I'd let you know :) kzbin.infovideos

[@selinawells9901]

This has been so good to watch. You are the first person to actually tell me that my starter (which has been going for nearly 2 weeks now), is okay and active even though it has not risen! So I will continue with it as it will get stronger and keep using small amounts! Thank you !

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome Selina! There's a lot of little things to know about sourdough starters - I felt they were well worth sharing! Probably need to re-watch this though, it's getting to be an older video now!

[@helenbrill2330]

Oh Elly, Thank you! I couldn't work out why my starter wasn't doubling and was wondering if I was feeding it enough. You have answered my questions so well and now I don't feel so defeated. I'm going to get back at it in the morning. Thank you so much! I found you the other day and you have a great way of explaining things to a newbie. Much love from S.A. xx

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Helen, happy to help!

[@billmccaffrey1977]

Elly, the reason that you are not seeing a big change in flavor with slight changes in your starter's hydration is that all of the other factors controlling flavor you hold fairly constant. The wild yeast that you captured in your initial starter was mostly air born and from your location. I cannot make your starter here in central Texas simply because my wild yeast strain are different. Many factors - hydration level of the starter, types of flour, fermentation temperature, your location..., all impact the strain of wild yeast culture, acidity, flavor, yeast concentration, ... There is an art to perfecting this. There is actually a sourdough starter library in Belgium that contains starters as old as 900 years: search Sourdough starter library in Belgium. This can be a lot of fun to explore. Many are for sell, but be aware that overtime this starter will become more of your local starter as it is exposed to air and feed with your flours. Link to Library: www.puratos.com/commitments/next-generation/product-heritage/sourdough-library

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Yes, I'm aware of that Bill, thanks!

[@smallfootprint2961]

So glad I found you. I think I started my 1st loaf too soon. It became so active right away... in 4 hrs, it was really going. I fed it for about 5 days and decided to make a loaf. I did a couple things 'wrong' but, do think I used it too soon, now that I hear you talk about it. Now I've fed it again and it's refrigerated. It sounds like you let it ferment out of the fridge before refrigerating it. That I wasn't sure of and may have destroyed it by putting it directly in the fridge but, am going to try making bread again tomorrow, so we'll see. This video has been really informative, and answered many of my questions. I love that you're not rigid about weighing ingredients, etc. If I have to be rigid, I'm not going to make bread so this is perfect. Thank you, Lynn

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Lynn, thanks for your great feedback. I don't think you've destroyed your starter, in fact it sounds very strong! But yes, starters do tend to make better bread once they have been established for a while. I always let my starter ferment outside of the fridge before I put it back in. This is important because the yeast in the starter needs warmth to grow, so it is harder for the yeast to re-populate in the fridge. I leave my starter out until it is all bubbly and I know it is full of yeast, then it goes into the fridge for storage until I'm ready to use it. The yeast hybernates quite well in the fridge and comes alive once it is mixed with the flour for bread dough. If you aren't sure you can bring your starter out of the fridge, let it warm up and get bubbly, then use it. If it hasn't been allowed to get all yeasty and bubbly it probably won't have enough yeast in it to raise a loaf. Good luck with your baking Lynn, Elly

[@whynotbecause9284]

You are amazing !!! I am new to this. I have watched a lot of videos that just made my head spin. You made it simple to me. Simple understanding, simple practice & I LOVE IT because I AM a simple kind of girl. Keep up the GREAT work, because I am sure I am not the only person who needed this. Thank you !!!!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Cynthia! I really appreciate your feedback :)

[@kcbknitter]

Since I started doing my starter this way, my starter is so much happier and healthier. Thanks for this video.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome, thank you for your feedback :)

[@Maggie-lv8sz]

Thanks Ely! I really feel that you've taken that frustrating air of mystery out of sourdough bread and baking with this video. Thanks for your time xx

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Wow, great feedback! Thank you so much, I am so pleased to hear that this video is hitting the mark for so many people. I'm keen to do some others in future to focus on the many other FAQs I get about the bread making itself!

[@anne-mariekellar2943]

You truly make it seem so effortless! Thank you for your utterly practical method and explanations

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you. You're very welcome!

[@SucculentSoul7]

I gotta tell you, I’ve tried a few of the other videos on YT both easy and difficult and the only bread result I loved is your very easy way and tweaked it a bit, folding a couple of times with an hour in between since I work from home. I love your method out of all the other ones because it’s no fuss. Now I can plan to make bread without worrying about autolyse, folding, slapping, none of that! Thank you!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You are so welcome, thank you for your great feedback! That's really nice to hear.

[@mariannedwyer5323]

You're a legend Elly! Love your videos old & new. Simple, down to earth & Australian.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Marianne!

[@davidspence9208]

Great video! You answered all of my questions and made keeping and using a starter less complicated than others I have heard. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're welcome David, thank you.

[@HeyPearly]

I am Thrilled to have found you and your common sense methods for Sour Dough bread making! Your methods are exactly the methods I've been looking for. I've been so confused from watching so many videos, reading so many blogs, and reading several books, it's CRAZY MAKING! I was quite upset, even close to tears on more than one occasion, and ready to give up all together. Then I found you! Hooray! A simplified, easy to understand, common sense answer to so many questions I had. I can't Thank You enough, I'm back on solid Sour Dough footing and ready to go forward and bake some Sourdough. Your videos are lovely, just as you are. Best Wishes from the U.S.May, 2020.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you, that is such wonderful feedback for me! I really appreciate that. This year I'm putting some serious effort into publishing my videos with much more regularity (at least every other week, if not weekly), so there will be plenty more to come. Thank you again!

[@adnilshah]

Wonderful video that answered ALL the right questions. I tried to send a positive comment earlier but it didn't post. If you get this twice, well, just know that I have no problem saying this is a great video, twice! It's definitely worth saying it more than once. Thank you for all the work you put into this and your other videos. And THANK YOU also for not putting in any music.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you so much for your feedback - I'm glad you found this video and it was helpful to you! Appreciate your support.

[@paterickcutts5601]

Hi from California! I've only been making sourdough bread for a couple of months but I'm hooked. I got my starter from a friend who gave me some tips but my go-to expert is of course you, Elly! I review the highlights of your "Easy Everyday Sourdough Bread: Full Method" video right before I get the starter from the fridge, and again after I've let it rise and it's near ready to go in the oven. Thanks Elly for your informative videos!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Paterick, that's wonderful feedback! Hello from sunny Brisbane! :)

[@jeanniebelew]

That was GREAT!! I have been trying to start one and I was making it way to difficult!! I tried one for a week and threw it away....I'm on my 2nd attempt and you have given me the confidence to keep going...thanks so much!!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You are very welcome!

[@52rajesh]

Amazing video Elly, thank you very much I, think most of the Q's I had in mind confusing me are definitely taken care of now just planing to buy a good quality and start my own starter. I hope my daughter has been in your contact we had talk couple of hours back.Salute to your professional presentation skills.Also,God bless you for reducing plastic usage to save our beautiful planet.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

I'm glad you liked the video Rajesh. I will keep an eye out for contact from your daughter!

[@billmccaffrey1977]

Great Q&A Elly. FYI - The liquid that forms on top of a starter is alcohol also called hooch, which people used to drink. You can stir it back in before you feed, but I prefer to pour it off. The best way to know if your starter is mature enough to raise a loaf is to make a small batch of dough and see if it bulks. Starters can often smell like vinegar, which is not a problem, it is a product of temp. Some people prefer this type of starter. Goes back to my comment on the complexities that impact the flavor. A book that covers a lot of this in detail is: The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Bill. Yes I've read that book :)

[@traceyhamm3047]

I think you're onto something regarding keeping only a small amount of starter each time you feed it. I'm trying to get a very old starter going I received from someone and I was keeping a large amount of the starter thinking I was keeping more yeast organisms and it would grow faster. But I've decided there were too many of the organisms fighting for what little food I was putting in the jar. I think I was starving them and had slow growth. Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge with us! Great video :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks so much for your feedback. I totally agree that starting with a smaller amount of starter is key to growing and maintaining a healthy culture. I've seen a lot of people really take off in their baking once they learn this - you can't make good bread without a healthy starter! Thanks again :)

[@niso-theseaismylife1139]

Wow , i from Israel and i watch your KZbin channel and i learn so much form you. You are great 😊 . Thank you so much.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you! Nice to hear from you.

[@truthgha]

So grateful for your video on starting culture n this question, answer.....wanted to know how without store bought yeast for 20 yrs..... Your explanations are so clear and love how you don't over talk videos like so many enjoy hearing themselves talk...... Blessings

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

So nice of you, thank you.

[@aqua0811]

Thank you!!! You have solved my problem of why my starter not rising anymore! Because of being too runny!! Initially my starter was rather sticky so I thought adding a few more drops of water wouldn't hurt much without realizing too runny = unable to rise. Thank you again! You've saved my day!!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You are most welcome! It's so good when you learn these little bits of information :)

[@chrisl3307]

What a great tutorial and explanation of various questions. You make it seem so simple. Keen to get my first loaf. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you for your feedback. It seems like a lot to learn in the beginning but it's well worth it! The most important thing whem you're starting out is not to take it too seriously and keep trying. It takes little bit of practice :)

[@jeankaiwi4522]

Elly, very, very helpful video. You really did a great job helping us have a better understanding of the sourdough starter. Keep up the great work!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you Jean. It's comments like these that inspire me to make more videos! Thanks so much :)

[@jeffnericd]

Thanks so much! Excellent Q&A. So helpful for us beginners. I live in Florida USA, in a sub tropical climate, so you’re temp notes were particularly valuable. Cheers & stay safe!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Eric, I appreciate your feedback. Stay safe and well yourself.

[@FrenchandEnglishtutor]

Your explanations are fabulous. Lucid, clear, detailed .. Thanks a ton for addressing all possible doubts! And you have such a likeable personality to boot! 👍 👍👍

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh, thanks Geeta!

[@tania8046]

Hi ELLY, thank you so much for this video. I have watched so many videos and yours has been the best. I’m at day 8 of my starter and now I have a better understanding. Thanks so much.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's wonderful Tania, thank you.

[@jenos8865]

Thanks Elly for your amazing videos ... have always shied away from even attempting Sourdough , but in our current situation and with time on my side I decided to give it a go . Hour after hour of video watching and blog reading had me thinking surely it doesn’t need to be this complicated .....You have demystified and humanised sour dough for me ,your down to earth approach is fantastic for us newbies . Thankyou Jen

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you so much Jen, I really appreciate that. All the best with it!

[@percyeugenecartwrightjnr6297]

Elly.......this is wonderful......thanks for your patience and above all your informative and easy going way........WELL DONE..........

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you Percy. I really appreciate your supportive comments :)

[@tracyreifkind3810]

Hi Elly :) Wow. Perfect video for me to find right now, after your Easy Everyday Sourdough Bread. I find it amazing that yours was the only KZbin video I found using this "mix, rise, bake" style of sourdough. I decided that I was going to learn how to bake bread so the research started a few weeks ago because "starter" was like a foreign language to me! I also managed to find some local sourdough classes for some hands on experience. The first class I took used this method. It was a private lesson from someone that brews beer and makes bread with some of the spent grains. It just seemed too easy! (I've been able to keep the starter she gave me alive to practice, I named it after her!) I then took a class on the "No Knead" method, that one seems to be all the rage. Although I don't know why, it's SO much work! I'd much rather knead the damn dough for 10 minutes, forget about it overnight and bake in the morning instead of folding the dough every 30 minutes for 2-4 hours, AND with so many variables that can still go wrong. (this is going to be a lengthy comment if you haven't already figured it out!) I haven't tried the traditional kneading method yet, but I will just for experience and building skill. Okay, so now my question for you....(since I read through all of the comments and I didn't find the answer) What is your background? How did you learn to do what you do? I see you make soap and ferment other things, but as far as the bread goes where does this recipe and technique originate from, since it's fairly hard to find (I lucked out and found it twice.) And why don't more people make it this way? IS there a difference between this method and the traditional method of kneading? One more thing. I DID learn a lot about shaping from my research and from the class I took on the NKM, and successfully used some shaping techniques, even using a proofing basket to make my loaves spectacular....or I guess two....and I'm currently attempting to make my own starter (Mabel) even after also getting some from my second instructor, which I named after him! (3 starters going right now. A BIG thanks for your videos, I can't wait for more :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Wow indeed Tracy!! Thank you so much for your fantastic comment. I love it, and thank you for taking the time :) Oh gosh...where do I start? My background is not as a baker, I can tell you that. Actually I work in the community support/mental health sector in my day job. I've always had a love for cooking, making things myself (often from scratch), and baking bread rather than cakes, since I don't have a sweet tooth at all. I started off in my early 20's with baking commercial yeast risen breads, and I made these for many years until I started to dabble with sourdough about 15 years ago (I'm showing my age here). It wasn't until nine years ago this year that I made my first really successful starter and sourdough bread, and I've been going along very happily since then. My methods really comes from my imagination, the necessity of having a simple method to make bread during a busy work week (I hate spending my whole weekend in the kitchen!) and all of the little bits of 'know how' I've learned through my own and others' experience over the years (20 + years of total bread making for me, you do tend to learn a thing or two). My 'no knead' style shown in my easy everyday sourdough video was partially inspired by Jim Lahey's 'My Bread' book. He uses a small amount of yeast rather than sourdough but just mixes the dough, leaves it all day (no stretches and folds - at all) then folds it up to shape it before baking. For a long time I kneaded my dough by hand, the traditional way, and this does produce a lovely light and springy loaf but with a more tight crumb appearance. The more you knead your dough the more you develop the gluten network (thus making a nice light loaf that springs up well) but every time you knead it you also burst any big bubbles forming in the dough, which many sourdough bakers dread to do. It's a fashion thing. Everyone wants ginormous holes in their bread. Me, I'm not that fussy. As long as the bread is not a brick, it's light (despite the size of the holes) and tastes good, I'm happy. As you can tell from my videos I'm not one for following the trends. I make bread that is decent for me, and that I don't have to spend all day/night labouring over. I really don't have the time for the fussy methods but I want good bread - so this method was born. I've just purchased a grain mill to mill my own flour, so it will be almost 100% whole wheat loaves for me from now on, which is another world all together. Thanks again for your comment - I hope I've answered your question well enough - it's actually great to be able to tell my story like this! Happy baking :)

[@melodyandbryanphillips8304]

I just wanted you to know that My very first gluten free starter has just doubled on day 2😂 you made it look so easy! Now to get thru the rest. I’ve got 2 T1 diabetic children. Plus, one of my kids, and I have celiac. So, I really need to figure this out. Tysm for your help💗

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

So good! Have you seen my GF recipes on my bread channel? They are a great place to start! GFSD - Beginner recipe kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpKqnaWrlJWdnrM GFSD - Millet recipe kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3XQfXhmfrJqmtk

[@victoriabennett3386]

You are such a joy ....Thankyou ...love your way of teaching and sharing

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Victoria. That's wonderful feedback :)

[@YeastyBoy]

Excellent, clear and practical video Elly. You filled a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Top work !!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Great feedback, thank you! I'm really pleased more people are seeing this video these days!

[@deborahnarendorf7106]

Oops! Well I now know why my starter is not really strong. Now the confession....it will be a year old in Aug. and is like my child so I can’t stand to throw it away. 😬. I make sour dough pancakes that are excellent to use up some of it as I bake bread only once a week, but at times I have had 3 jars of starters the frig. Well now I will strive to make a stronger sour tasting starter. This was great. Thanks so much

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's great to hear Deborah - nothing like a nice strong starter to make a good loaf of bread! And it's definitely a case of 'less is more' ;)

[@jessicadiment6247]

Thank you Elly, that video was so informative. I’ve just started my first sourdough starter 11 days ago and had so many questions. Your video answered them all. What a great idea about dehydrating the starter. Fantastic work 👍🏼

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Jessica. I'm glad it was helpful :)

[@erictir7986]

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful information. You explained everything in detail reading the comments below I know that everyone loves your work and loves the fact that you share. God bless you and yours. Thanks again

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Eric.

[@Rob_430]

Great video! I don’t discard much, but I do know, like what you said, less starter, more food......and sometimes I forget that. It’s why a levain (preferment) per Tartine is good, 1 tbsp starter to 50g flour/water each. I have the same knife and white scraper like when I saw them on your original video, and I mentioned I found it on Amazon. They work great! Rob

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Rob, yes I remember you! Yes a levain is a great option for those who like to pre-plan their bakes. For me, I'm still preferring the spontaneous method and love that I can just take my starter out of the fridge and use it whenever I need it :)

[@Rob_430]

Elly's Everyday I’ve been using my starter straight also. Saves a step, but I never tried it from the fridge, I always warmed and fed it. I will try this.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Give it a try Rob. It's liberating!

[@marlettamcclain1950]

I just found your channel and so glad I did. I made my first batch of starter and bread for another recipe, but the bread was like a brick. Your video hit on everything I did wrong, and now I know what to do right. I’m going to try my next starter using your method tomorrow and will let you know in a couple of weeks how everything turns out. Your video addressed all my questions. I’ve subscribed to your channel. Thank you for all you do. Stay safe.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's so wonderful Marletta, thank you for your feedback. I'm very happy that my videos are useful for you!

[@conniemerikor]

I really enjoy your videos...especially your sourdough with your blue pot. I have been making sourdough for a while now and your Simplicity has really moved me up a notch and making things easy. I've actually decided to rename My "Little Monster"...to Elly!! I always kind of wanted it to be one of us girls anyhow!! keep up the good work!!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, yes I love that one too. That one was my first one! It really got this channel started.

[@danifuenzalidad]

Thanks Elly! Your videos are great and I love how relax you are about all the sourdough journey!!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you Dani :)

[@stapletontable]

Thank you, Elly! I do appreciate your sourdough style! Have you ever heard of the "float test", where you drop some starter in water and if it floats, it's ready to use? Is there a critical point at which your starter starts to weaken after it has risen? As you said, there are so many ways to do this! Wish I'd found you earlier in my sourdough journey, but it's not too late!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, I really appreciate your comments! Yes, I have heard of the float test, but I don't bother with it. If you keep a runny or very wet starter, it will never float but can be very strong and healthy. A very thick starter will not float either - it only works with starters of a particular consistency. Lots of people say the best time to use your starter is when it's at the peak of it's rise. I agree with this, but I think it's ok to use it a few days/up to a week after this if it's been stored in the fridge from the peak time. But plenty of others would disagree with me on this! You just have to try it and see how you go. I am happy with my breads that I make with week old starter :)

[@michellegratton9563]

Thankyou for this explaination, ive been waiting until it floats ....so i now know i have no need to do that in future

[@bellinghama]

Hi Elly - Thank you for posting this fantastic video. As others have commented, I watched hours of video and was still confused. Your explanation was the first to point out that you can feed the starter using a small amount of the remaining original starter. Lots of other super helpful, easy to understand tips. Thanks again!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you very much Stephen, I appreciate your feedback! Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful.

[@lykri3350]

I have spent three months learning patience with a sleepy/starved kombucha scoby. Re-feeding sweet tea every two weeks and adding a shot of vinegar starter halfway through each two week feed. Last saturday, the scoby got UGLY and thick and I looked closer to see there were bubbles! So finally my kombucha is up. Now for my next hurdle: My sleepy sourdough starter. I have spent a week pondering what to do to get my sourdough starter up. Because I spent a week trying before and it came active, I made pancakes, and then it would not come back up. I know now, through you, one step for when I start back. Cut back my starter in the jar. But I also learned something yesterday in my own kitchen. I have kefir that I am not good at drinking. So I was lazy and just strained out a glass and let it sit untouched for a week or more. It separated into curds and whey. Three days ago I tasted the cream on top and it was sour. Two days ago I tasted the top again and it was milder and yummy so I ate all the top off UNTIL I SAW BUBBLES. Bubbles in the whey were rising up and popping. So last night I strained my grains right into that whey and slept on my progress. Now, today, I think I have an idea. I will let that jar of kefir and whey sit for another five days, or so until I see lots of activity. Then I will use it to try to start my sourdough.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Sourdough starters love nothing more than to be fed and used regularly. I'm sure yours will wake up with more use and feeding! Good luck :)

[@gmabo1]

I so appreciate hearing that I don't have to be so exact! I've always felt that it should be more intuitive since people 1000 years ago perhaps didn't have easy access to kitchen scale batteries =) But seriously, your explanation, takes some of the fretting out of my baking. And less waste! I guess I'd succumbed to a marketing ploy by discarding so much starter! Thank you so much for showing that the process can be really practical .

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome Ramona, thank you for your kind feedback. I'll be uploading this video over to my new wholegrain sourdough channel soon too! Here's the link to the new channel if you are intersted: Elly’s Everyday WholeGrain Sourdough kzbin.info

[@GenWivern2]

Just outstanding Elly: you've put pretty much everything I found out from multiple sources plus trial and error into one video. I've added it to "favourites" in case anybody asks me for information because it's all there and better presented than I'd manage. My only point of departure - which is just a matter of temperament - is that I've kept my starter (Katie, incidentally) at 100% hydration on the basis that I might as well have one constant since I play fast and loose with everything else in the baking process according to whim. It's midsummer here, and from a breadmaking point of view 17° would be a lot more manageable. :-)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Ah yes, I understand you perfectly. I'm just a rebel! It's funny though, in my soap making I am the most precise, methodical person you'll see! I am actually quite a precise and orderly person all round, I just love the freedom and creativity of making my bread totally by my knowledge and what it looks/feels like. I think really I am being very precise, I'm just measuring things with my eyes and making fine adjustments as I go depending on what I'm seeing. It's quite magic really, hard to explain.

[@GenWivern2]

I think the calm orderliness is readily apparent! You're clearly a very accomplished breadmaker and can improvise with complete confidence. Keeping the starter at 100% is handy for reverse engineering yeasted recipes because it makes the calculations trivial: I've got a thing for regional Italian breads just lately and like to make a straight sourdough version at the same hydration before messing around. Filone Rustico was a recent surprise hit. I've bumped up the water content since the first go at it, and the pepper too. :-)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh wow. Your Italian breads sound incredible. I can only just imagine! Thanks for the discussion, I've really enjoyed it :)

[@GenWivern2]

Likewise!

[@Pke6853]

Thank you for this video I have been making sourdough for a few years but never really understood some of the aspects of it this really helped me out and for the first time I am not winging it I really know what I am doing thanks to you. I have just have to sort out my oven and I will have it. Thank you again I will save this video for future reference. Cheers Tricia. Queensland.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh that's lovely feedback Tricia - and from another Queenslander! (like me!) Thanks so much for sharing. I really appreciate it :)

[@Anjacina]

Such great information. Thank you for taking the time to lay out all the information and tips. Your explanation and knowledge helped bring together what I've been learning so far piecing together all my research.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@meenha1976]

Finally, a video that makes sense to me, I finally I made my FIRST EVER starter few days ago but had loads of questions on how to use it, store it, feed it. You've answered all those for me, Thank you. I'll now go and watch your other videos.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Allison, I'm pleased to hear it was helpful for you :)

[@DanielTompkins187]

@@EllysEverydaySoapMaking Same here. I was about to give up a couple times. Every video and article I looked at seemed to be leaving out important information they take for granted for an absolute beginner. It's helpful to see how the process goes from starter to baking with it, to replenishing it. I knew how to make the starter, just not the overall cycle. Thanks.

[@peggy1046]

BEST video I have seen. I am from Brisbane. You have answered every question.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh that's so great Peggy, thanks. Nice to hear from a fellow Brisbanite!

[@barneybarneson4093]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make your videos & explain things so carefully. I also wanted to thank you for posting your recipe for Sour Dough Bread on another video. I was wondering if you'd consider doing a video on making other things with your dough such as pizza. I would love that! Thank you again!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Barney, thanks for the great feedback. Yes! I am planning more videos and will definitely (finally!) be doing a video to show how I make my sourdough pizza :)

[@DavidJohnson-wj5zk]

You are an excellent presenter.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you David. I really appreciate you saying that :) Please consider sharing the video with others if you think it may help.

[@thedareneewilliams8360]

hi Ellie so nice to see you, thank you so much for taking the time and it's labor-intensive video for us.. You answered probably most of my questions that I had issues with making wonderful bread that could look like yours.. And that tip about freezing some of the starter is fabulous!!! Thank you so much I'm signing off now this is Theda from beautiful Tucson Arizona

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Theda! Thank you for taking the time to share such great feedback :)

[@SpencerPullenPhotography]

This is a great presentation. I've baked all kinds of things (even made laminate dough from scratch) but sourdough starter has been my nemesis. I appreciate you taking the time to go over all of these tips! I'll be watching the rest of your videos...

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your feedback.

[@catcity55]

Thank you, very informative. I just started to culture my starter and it is very liquid. It has bubbles and a layer of water. This is the 3rd day. You have addressed my concerns. The temperature here in Malaysia now is around 26°C.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's great Sia, if you want it thicker then just add some more flour. Sounds good!

[@jolyanpratt2350]

Hi I'm a week into making a sourdough starter, so you inspired me. Thank you it's starting to smell good.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Brilliant! That's great to hear. Exciting times :)

[@trishapomeroy9251]

Spectacular content! Thank you so much. I have always been a little leery of sourdough just not knowing how it's supposed to be used and kept.

[@deannakent600]

Phenomenal! So packed full of information. Great job. I've been using sourdough for many years as well. Just winging it really. Your video has inspired me to simplify even more by adding it straight from the fridge. We've recently been grinding our own flour with marginal success. However, your video on making sourdough whole wheat bread from fresh flour helped us immensely. Just today baked a loaf using the method you demonstrated. Wonderful! Thank you!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Deanna, that's wonderful to hear!

[@mattsearle8309]

Nicely done!! I've been making sourdough bread for about 2½ to 3 years now, and just got a bit more educated with this video, thanks

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Matt, appreciate the feedback!

[@davidclark9086]

I have watched this a couple f times and found it very informative. My problem when making sourdough bread is that no one in my family including grand kids want those large holes which the jam, butter, honey, etc tends to fall through so my goal is to bake a sourdough bread with the same high quality but is not a mess to eat.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're not the only one who doesn't like the large holes David, though they do seem to be the fashion at the moment. My advice for a more uniform loaf would be to knead the bread very thoroughly, and shape it more assertively to reduce any large air pockets in the dough. It can be done! Big air pockets in sourdough is just a fad really.

[@davidclark9086]

@@EllysEverydaySoapMaking Sounds like good advice and I may have solved the problem without kneading. I shaped it then gave it a rest then shaped it again more assertively as you suggested. It seemed to work very well. Now to get my grand kids to stop cutting holes in their jeans. Thanks for the speedy response and advice.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's great David. Shaping has a big impact on the final crumb of a loaf. If you are baking in a pan, try flattening the dough out into a large rectangle then rolling it up into a sausage shape the same length of the pan. I always get a great pan loaf with this method. I'm happy to help.

[@honeycat535]

Excellent tutorial , making sense of the care of starter and WHY each step is neccessary, i feel like i know a lot more now.thank you.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks so much Diana, you're very welcome :)

[@jenlowe4472]

Thanks Elly, you rescued me from all those complicated %hydration, weighing etc. I just love your easy casual approach and that your in Australia so the conditions I’m under are similar.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

No problem at all Jen, you're welcome :)

[@davidclark9086]

Back again. I finally nailed it. I watch my dough rather than the clock to prevent over fermenting. Wow! Add a little more folding and the holes are also gone. Thanks for your help.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Excellent! Congratulations!

[@cgrace1278]

Thank you so very much Elly ... can't wait to make my first sourdough starter from scratch and then my first sourdough bread. Your thoughtful explanation of everything has given me the confidence I need to get started! God Bless you and your family!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's so wonderful, thank you. And good luck!

[@supergenkilife]

Lovely video and fantastic tips, especially about how you don't find it necessary to have a recently-fed starter and warm it before bread-making.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it useful.

[@tracyreifkind3810]

Hi Elly :) You are so refreshing! It's nice to get to know you, and I think I speak for many others :) You have a quiet confidence that I think resonates with a lot of your viewers, and for me you truly, truly have successfully unlocked many of the "mysteries", and myths about sourdough/starters through sharing your own experience. And now you give us all hope! Thank you. So.... :) in your opinion should one (me) even bother to learn the traditional kneading method of making bread? I mean, I probably will, because I'm like that, and I'm at a time in my life where I don't have to care for young children and I work for myself. Would a person benefit from "getting their hands in the dough? I know you answered how the bread is physically different, just wondering if it's worth the effort. Also, as I think I mentioned (in length) I've begun my own starter, now 6 days ago, before I saw your video on making your own starter, and I think things are going well! I'll find out in a couple of days :) You mention in your video that Boris did not start off with pineapple juice, so why did you decide to promote that method? And in your reply to my last question you mentioned that nine years ago you made your first "really successful" starter, how did you know it was better than previous attempts? And you obviously started that pineapple starter in the video, what did you do with that one? I guess making new starters is a skill that only experience teaches as it seems there are plenty of people that do it over and over for demonstration purposes, yet soooo many newbies fail, numerous times. What's up with that? Maybe it's more of an art rather than a skill? That's it for now! Thank you for your time and you knowledge, I greatly appreciate it.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Tracy, thank you so much. You are very kind and again, it's lovely to hear your feedback and questions :) I think getting your hands in the dough is a great idea! It's very therapeutic as well. There's nothing like developing a dough with your bare hands. There are many ways to do it though, so you'll probably find your own style with it. I say go for it, it is definitely worth the effort! And about the pineapple juice starter, well I was wanting to do a starter video and I was reading about different methods and I stumbled across the pineapple juice one and decided to give it a try! It worked very quickly and I was so happy with the results I decided to show people that method. Because I already had my starter I didn't keep the new pineapple one. I made bread with it and that was it! No need for multiple starters in my opinion. They all morph depending on what flour you feed them so they are very flexible cultures. My first starter died of a serious mould infestation in the back of my fridge, but I guess it wasn't that the starters weren't successful but that I wasn't successful at looking after them. It was probably more that I had to get used to how to make sourdough bread and get into a rhythm before my starters and bread making really thrived with the regular use :)

[@tracyreifkind3810]

excellent! That last part, about getting into a rhythm, I'm concluding is the key, and not giving up! Consistent practice, like with everything, is what yields results! I think I have the starter thing down (and that's HUGE) now it's the bread thing I have to keep practicing! I've had good and bad results with different recipes/techniques, but in all of the "fails" I'm admitting to user error, not the recipe! I over fermented your recipe yesterday :( I knew it as soon as I saw it, but I tried to continue on....sticky mess (second time I've done that , but first time realizing it!) So I threw it all in the fridge overnight, googled "what to do with over fermented dough", not really finding a great straight forward answer. Pulling it out of the fridge and looking at it this morning it seems to be producing some life again.... I did however use your wet parchment paper technique with a different method (the "no knead" but fold a thousand times method!), and the paper stick to the bottom of my bread when it was done! I think it was the brand of paper I used. Today is another day! Feeling more confident, in large part to your help. Thanks again :)

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's great Tracy! It sounds like you are very well on your way to sourdough success! Over-fermenting the dough is a really common rookie mistake, and you've sussed that one out now! Well done :)

[@mchrysogelos7623]

@@EllysEverydaySoapMaking Agree with Tracy - the best part of your video for me, is your quiet, calm, and optimistic assurance that 'all is well'! ha ha. thanks for the encouragement!

[@lynnlato1]

I purchased a dehydrated starter online and have followed their instructions religiously and its been a frustrating process, to say the least. They haven't presented instructions and troubleshooting info in an easily digestible way. I have been reading and researching and over-obsessing for about 2 weeks now - wasting tons of flour in that time. Today I found this video and you've managed to answer most of my lingering questions and feel so much lighter - THANK YOU! You have such a casual, laid back delivery that is calming and encouraging. I have one questions, if you don't mind... I have only been feeding w/ AP flour. Can I mix in some whole wheat or rye to an AP flour starter? Thanks in advance!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Jessica, thank you, I'm so glad you found my video helpful! Yes, you can feed your starter any flour you like. I feed mine with AP, bread flour, rye, whole wheat, brown rice flour, millet, sorghum, spelt, whatever!! One time I even put in some whole rolled oats - it loved it. All starters need to perpetuate their yeast and lactic acid bacteria colonies are a food source and some water :)

[@rachels4197]

Thanks for this video! Your explanation of some of the details were easily understood. I learned a few new things about maintaining my starter. I started mine with organic whole wheat about a month ago and have successfully made some loaves, pancakes etc. from it. I also dried some in my dehydrator to use as a backup or gifts. Keeping it at room temperature in glass jar, in the cabinet. Our home does not get warmer than 72 F so hopefully it will last years. And, I named mine “Ethel”. Lol 😃

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're welcome Rachel, that sounds wonderful. May you, and Ethel, live long and prosper! :)

[@carengreenberg3198]

Amazing video! Thank you so much for making the sourdough process so un-scary. My starter is 10 days old and looking beautiful. You answered every one of my as-yet unasked questions and I'm feeling confident about proceeding. I guess I need to think about names now...

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

That's so great Caren, thanks for sharing! :)

[@robertthomas4085]

Thank you, that was a great help. Form a POM and look forward to watching your other videos.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Robert, I appreciate your feedback. I love the brits x

[@rebeccaoliver7977]

Much thanks! I've been looking for info on how much water needs to be used when using milled whole wheat flour. Had seen one of your videos that was excellent so came looking here for the answer. Best,

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, you're welcome!

[@caroljohnson8817]

Well I couldn’t understand the concept of taking most of the starter and leaving only a very small amount until I’m hearing you talk about the hungry enzymes needing more food. But I,get it now.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Wonderful.

[@kulwantjessy3626]

Thank You Elly! You have taken the mystery out of my Sourdough Adventures! I now understand it all so much better. You have simplified it and answered all my questions in just one sitting. Am so happy to have found your channel! May I know how to reactivate and use frozen Starter?

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, that's wonderful! Here is a link with instructions on rehydrating your starter after it's been dried facebook.com/notes/ellys-everyday/dried-sourdough-starter-reactivating-instructions/2101236016818826/

[@esthertruslove36]

Thank you, it was very helpful as I'm just new to this and decided to give it a go and learn about sourdough and bread making. I really enjoyed this blog.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, you're welcome.

[@carefreedelight2355]

Thank you so much for this tremendously helpful video. A marathon for you - but enlightenment big time for us! I can literally feel the anxiety 😥 drain away!! Thank you.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks so much :)

[@bcrouch2626]

I am thinking about doing a starter and watching loads of videos soaking information up . Thanks for the information great video Elly

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you, you're welcome.

[@ellenpeterson7864]

your video was great..It explained the sourdough process so clearly and changed the way i looked at sourdough..Thank you so much.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome, thanks for the feedback.

[@louisestadly3501]

Thank you so much Elly for your easy to follow/understand videos 🙏🏼 I was getting so confused and almost put off making bread, then I found you on KZbin 👏 I was lucky to have been given some starter and have made 4 loaves that we’ve been very happy with. I hope there’s more videos to come. I have one question - My starter rises really well with lots of bubbles, once it (Jenny) has been in the fridge for a while it actually deflates by 1/4 to 1/3 but still bubbly and smells good, why? I’ve been putting it in the fridge when it rises to the lid, actually touching the lid, not really sure at what point to put it in the fridge.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Louise, thanks for your comment. I'm really pleased to hear you're enjoying my videos! Yes, I do plan to make many more :) There's no issue at all with your starter sinking down again like that. It's just that the bubbles rise to the top and pop, so it deflates. This is no reflection on the strength of your starter. If you want it to stay nice and tall then keep a drier mix (ie. feed it less water or more flour). A firm starter will stay nice and risen even after a while in the fridge. It's best to put your starter in the fridge once it's risen, or just before its peak.

[@MichelleTech]

I've been doing King Arthur Flour's sourdough starter method with their bagged all-purpose flour, then using their AP flour and a little bit of their whole wheat bagged flour for my sourdough every other Saturday (one day bakes). Two things: I just got a Country Living Grain Mill to hand mill hard red, hard white, and soft white wheat berries for baking and I'm trying to find the right combo of these flours. My first batch of hard white with a bit of hard red was dense and flat. My second batch I did half soft white and half hard white with the bit of hard red. Still pretty dense. So I'm investigating what I need to do. Found another of your videos and got some ideas to try. Secondly, I feel like my old King Arthur Flour method of feeding my starter used way too much flour and created a lot of waste as I couldn't keep up with discard recipes. I was adding 8 oz of flour and 8 oz water on bake day (once every 2 weeks), using 16 ounces of that fresh starter to bake with, then feeding 8 oz flour and 8 oz water again to sustain it in the fridge until next bake 2 weeks from then. So I'm interested in your smaller starter batch method. Plus, I want to use my hand milled flour instead, which is very different than bagged AP flour. Thank you for planting this idea for change for me!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi Michelle, thanks for your comment. It would be great if you head over to my newer sourdough channel! All dedicated to freshly milled whole grain sourdough recipes. Is show all kinds of videos there including sourdough starter maintenance. I think you'd love it! kzbin.infovideos

[@tinakelch9471]

I just found Elly show here thru another bread person I follow… this person is bread Beckers you tube she uses freshly milled flour making regular loafs of bread too she is great her name is Sue Becker .. she had a sour dough class this past weekend an talked about Elly so I looked her up an have been binge watching getting ready to start making sour dough for first time .. I have the other down making regular bread .. your hard red wheat an hard white is your yeasted bread soft wheat is your cakes ,pancakes an cookies ..

[@usngunr]

Outstanding Elly! Great job, glad to see that you did this. Congratulations on a job well done! :D I absolutely agree with the don't keep too much starter. Vince

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you so much! :D

[@kathleen5456]

Finally figured out how to take care of my starter! Thank you!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Happy to help!

[@gemmaarnold9116]

Thanks Elly, great explanations! You make the process so straightforward, relaxed and doable! It makes so much sense to me as I people baking bread in centuries past did not have access to electronic scales and clocks! 😊

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you Gemma - a lot of the highly technical sourdough instructions are very off-putting for beginners - I wanted to show that there is a much easier way :)

[@UKPete]

Great informative video. Thats put straight a lot of what I was wondering and guessing at. All the information here is really helpful to a sour dough newbie that is missing or is not clear on hundreds of other KZbin video's I have waded through over the past month. Thanks!.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks so much Peter :)

[@johnsuffill6520]

Many, many decades ago, a mother would give her newlywed daughter a sourdough starter for her new home, ensuring that the new Bride would be able to keep her new Hubby fed with bread. Similarly, the mother would also give her newlywed daughter an amount of stew, which (like sourdough) would be kept back until the next meal. So, in those days, just as sourdoughs can be said to be several decades old, so could stews.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thank you John, I never knew that about the stew being held back. I love the history of food, crafts, all of our cultures. Thanks again.

[@johnsuffill6520]

I'm about to start my first sourdough (I love cooking but all my breadmaking so far has been in a breadmaker). Anything from a simple soup to a full Sunday roast, I can do. But now I'm about to progress into proper sourdough breadmaking using a 40 year old starter from the Lake District in the UK, somewhere I have very fond childhood memories from. I hope I do it justice. This is for you dad.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Beautiful. All I can say is persist. It can be perplexing in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, you've got it for good. Your Dad will be very pround.

[@hermaj33]

Thanks so much you really changed the way I was feeding my starter I was throwing away a lot of flour now just keep a small amount

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're very welcome :)

[@ariainman5383]

Elly this is the video I watched last night. AND I NOW HAVE SUCCESS.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Ah yes, there's some gold there. Thank you.

[@renatabaume3584]

you are my inspiration Elly! Best explanation ever!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you Renata, I really appreciate that!

[@koogle612]

Well I'll be damned, you make sours too! I just subscribed to your site having made my 1st castille bars - beautiful. I graduated from Culinary Institute Hyde Park, NY. Did sours professionally for 6 yrs & had the very good fortune to work with some of the best in the world (literally). Tons & tons of notes on the subject. Happy to share should anyone be interested esp on the subj of getting a well balanced starter up & running in 3-4 days, feeding schedules & production schedules. Loved this wk - really wholesome environment.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh that's wonderful James! Did you know I have a second channel dedicated to all whole grain sourdough? kzbin.info You might be interested to know that this soap making channel all started with my easy sourdough bread recipes (before soap took over and I had to separate them).

[@bernardrobinson8444]

Well done Elly. Something I also have learn't, is that your starter will have a faint banana aroma when it is happy. And Vinegary when it is hungry.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Thanks Bernard - I've never picked up on that (and I do have quite a discerning nose I'm told ;) - I'll have to pay more attention and see if I can pick it! I never get vinegary smell in mine. It must be happy!

[@louonUT]

I am enjoying your sourdough videos.. thank you for explaining all we need to know it seems.. I have made my first batch this past week and have not used it yet.. actually made two batches one with all purpose flour and one with bread flour , one started with squeezed strained orange juice.. I would of used pineapple juice instead but did not have it.. only reason I tried the juice was because I read I could . I thought my starter had to pass a float test ,and mine failed it so I did not start bread today,, I am happy to find this video I feel more relaxed about doing this bread and float test or not I don't think it is necessary,, froth and bubbles seem to be the biggest consideration for a starter. I am also more relaxed about uses different flours after watching this video... I love your jars,, where can I buy them in Canada or the US.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Hi there, thank you. I'm glad you've found my videos useful and reassuring. I'm not sure where you'd find those jars in the US or Canada, but they are Weck brand, so you could search for them. Ebay might be a good option. Thanks again :)

[@louonUT]

haha, I did, and I ordered them on Amazon.. @@EllysEverydaySoapMaking

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Brilliant!!

[@429psi]

Thanks for the great explanation Elly, alot of research as all new to me. Your video made alot more sense to me over alot of others.

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

Oh thank you, I really appreciate your feedback.

[@Cccoast]

Thank you! I think I was using too much water and too much heat! I’d get a nice taste, but not a lot of Co2... I like your method, kind of modified mine like this, before I watched this... my mind is now at ease!

[@EllysEverydaySoapMaking]

You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful :)