Join Waitlist We will inform you when the product arrives in stock. Please leave your valid email address below.
Sourdough

How to Reactivate a Dry (Dehydrated) Living Sourdough Starter

Welcome to your step-by-step guide on how to reactivate a dry sourdough starter. The whole process takes just under a week, but is very easy to do! By the end, a small bit of dry sourdough starter powder will transform into a voluminous, bubbly, active sourdough starter – ready to bake with. But not just once! With a little love and weekly care, one sourdough starter will provide you with years and years of delicious, nutritious, and rewarding sourdough baking at home.

If you obtained your dehydrated organic sourdough starter from us here at Homestead and Chill, thank you for your support! If not, no worries! The general process explained in this tutorial will work to reactivate any dehydrated sourdough starter – though you may need to tweak the water ratios just slightly, as explained in the consistency section below. 

Printable instructions are located at the end of this article, albeit condensed and less detailed than what you’ll find in the body of the post. Once you complete the sourdough starter activation process, head over to our ongoing sourdough starter feeding, maintenance and storage guide.

*Edit: I made a YouTube video to demonstrate this whole process too. You can find it at the end of this article!


What is a dry sourdough starter?

You probably have a small package of off-white powder or flakes in your possession. No, it isn’t something illegal – nor is it instant yeast! Dry sourdough starter is made by dehydrating a portion of an active, healthy sourdough starter. When we dry our organic starter, we do so on a very low “living foods” setting in a food dehydrator. This preserves the beneficial lactic acid bacteria and wild yeasts that are within the starter. They are responsible for making a sourdough starter bubble, and sourdough bread rise. The dry starter is still very much alive! It is simply in a dormant state and needs to be reactivated. That is the process we’ll start today.

Using a dry sourdough starter is a great way to kick-start your sourdough baking journey. It is almost fool-proof! We created our original sourdough starter from scratch (see the instructions to do so here) rather than using a dry starter. Most people find that process to be fairly easy, though it does take significantly more ingredients to get going. Other folks have struggled to make a starter from scratch, and ended up with either moldy or non-active starters. By using a dry sourdough starter, you’re working with a healthy established culture from the get-go


Half of a white bowl full of active but dry sourdough starter powder is shown. There are a handful of small plastic bags lined up in a half circle around the bowl that are also filled with the same sourdough starter powder.
Homestead and Chill organic dry sourdough starter. One little package holds the power to become over a liter of bubbling sourdough starter in just 5 days!


How to Reactivate a Dry Sourdough Starter

Like anyone after a long exhausting journey, your powdered dry sourdough starter needs to be rehydrated and fed to feel perky once again. The colonies of lactobacillus and yeast within the sourdough starter feed on starches in flour. However, you can’t simply mix a little dry sourdough starter in with a large bowl of flour and water – and poof, it’s ready! Too much flour and water will overwhelm the dry starter at first. She isn’t strong enough for all that yet. Rather, we need to start small and slowly build up the volume of starter, flour, and water gradually. That is why the process of reactivating a dry sourdough starter usually takes about a week. The final result will be several cups of active starter! 


A picture shows a jar of sourdough starter on the left and a loaf of bread that has been cut in half on the right. It  depicts bacteria, yeast, and flour and what those items together provide for a baked loaf of bread which is acid, carbon dioxide and aromas.
Image courtesy of studentsdiscover.org


Before we get started, let’s go over a few quick tips and expectations.


Consistency

The instructions below were developed using the Homestead and Chill dry sourdough starter culture. They will work with other other dehydrated sourdough starters, though the measurements and consistency may vary slightly depending on the particular dry sourdough starter you use. Every individual home environment (e.g. different elevations and humidity) could also lead to some variations. 

Therefore, keep this in mind going forward: no matter your starter or home environment, the goal throughout this process is to maintain a thick gooey starter. It should settle smoothly into the bottom of the container (meaning, not clump into a firm ball of dough like cookie batter) but it shouldn’t be easy to pour or runny like pancake batter. The sourdough starter should be somewhere in between. Eventually, an active sourdough starter will be spongy – like marshmallow fluff. 

If at any time throughout this process you feel that your starter has become too stiff or too thin, feel free to add a sprinkle more flour or splash of water until the desired consistency is reached. Do so in small quantities, such as a teaspoon at a time (especially in the first few days). 


Temperature

The beneficial bacteria and yeast that live in your sourdough starter are most happy, active and balanced in a temperature range of about 70 to 75°F. Cooler conditions will lead to slower activation and a generally less vigorous starter. (Though we activated the dry sourdough starter shown in this tutorial when it was 63-70°F on average, with zero issues!) Hot temperatures may make the process go faster. 

It is okay if your house is cooler or warmer than “ideal” – just keep in mind that it can lead to a slightly different timetable and starter behavior than shown here. Not sure of the exact temperature in your house? I highly recommend keeping an ambient thermometer next to your starter container to easily monitor it. If needed, see the temperature troubleshooting tips at the end of this article. 


Timing

To reactivate your dry sourdough starter, you are going to need to feed it once per day for the duration of about a week. Therefore, don’t start this process when you’re about to go on vacation! It is best if the feedings occur about 24 hours apart, though it doesn’t need to be exact. Choose a time of day to start that you’re usually available and will be easy to remember. For example, first thing in the morning, around dinner time, or before bed. Set an alarm if you’re forgetful!

Don’t worry… once the starter is reactivated, it won’t need daily feeding (unless you choose to store it at room temperature). We store ours in the refrigerator and only take it out to feed/bake on the weekend (or every other weekend), as explained in our starter maintenance article. 


Okay, are you ready to wake your baby up?


SUPPLIES NEEDED


  • 1 package of dry sourdough starter powder or flakes (approximately 1 heaping half-tablespoon)

  • All purpose flour or bread flour. We have experimented with reactivating a dry sourdough starter with both types of flours, and it works perfectly with both. Note that we use certified organic flour, which the microbes generally prefer but isn’t absolutely necessary. If you’d like to transition your starter to whole wheat or rye in the future, you absolutely can! However, I suggest using simple white flour when first reactivating the dry sourdough starter.

  • Filtered water or spring water. Ideally, the water used to activate and maintain a sourdough starter is free of chlorine.

  • A pint size mason jar (or similar). Given the small volume, you can start the process of reactivating your dry sourdough starter in an average jar, glass, or other similar size container.  

  • A larger glass storage container. On day five of this process, we will transfer the activated sourdough starter into a larger container – its forever home! We use a flip-top 1-liter glass container like this one. See the discussion about using bigger containers to maintain a larger volume of starter in the “Day 5” section below.



INSTRUCTIONS


Day 1


  • In a clean pint-size mason jar or similar, combine one full H&C package of dry sourdough starter (approximately 1 heaping half-tablespoon) with 1.5 tablespoons of filtered lukewarm water. Avoid using cold water throughout this process, as it will slow down the activity of the starter. Allow the dry sourdough starter and water to sit for several minutes to soften and combine. Use a fork or spoon to stir it on occasion. 

  • Then, mix in 1 tablespoon of flour. Mix thoroughly. Try to avoid making a huge mess of the sides of your jar. Use the edge of your fork or a small spatula to clean up any hefty smears. 

  • Cover the jar with a lid. It doesn’t necessarily need to be air-tight; the purpose is to prevent it from drying out or allowing mold spores in. I only lightly screw on these BPA-free plastic jar lids. If you’re using a drinking glass or other container that doesn’t have a lid, simply set a plate on top, add plastic wrap, or a reusable beeswax wrap on top.

  • Finally, set the container in a moderately warm location. Come back in about 24 hours. 


A four way image collage, the first birds eye image shows a small amount of an off white powder in the bottom of a pint mason jar. The second image shows the bottom of the jar after water has been added to create a runny liquid. A gold fork is resting in the jar. The third image shows a half tablespoon measurement of flour being held over the mason jar, there is a ramekin of flour sitting next to the jar and a gold fork is sitting on the opposite side of the jar as the ramekin. The fourth image shows a close up image of the bottom of the jar after the flour has been added and stirred in. The gold fork is partially covered in the sourdough mixture as it was used to stir the mixture.
Day one: combine dry starter with water, allow to soak for a few minutes, add flour, stir. Easy!
A side view of the mason jar is shown with a white plastic lid on top. The initial sourdough mixture is only a half inch tall or so in the bottom of the jar.
Day 1 after mixing. Cover and set aside for 24 hours.


Day 2


Into the same jar as yesterday, add 1 tablespoon of flour and 2 teaspoons of water to the starter. Mix well. Cover the jar or container again, and allow it to sit for another 24 hours. 

Have you thought about a name for your sourdough starter yet? There is a tradition in the sourdough baking world to name your sourdough starter. In fact, it is considered bad luck if you don’t! Today sounds like a good day to pick a name. If you need any ideas, check out our list of the top 60 Punny Sourdough Starter Names.


Day 3 


By day three, you may start to see fermentation bubbles in the starter! Repeat the same process as yesterday, adding 1 tablespoon of flour and 2 teaspoons of water. Mix, cover, and set aside. 

During the next 24 hours, your starter may start to rise. Just for fun, mark the level of the starter on the side of the container after mixing (either with a washable glass marker or with a rubber band around the jar) and watch how much it rises. 


Day 4


Today, we are going to step up the volume more than before. The growing sourdough starter should smell really nice by now, like sourdough and yeast – reminiscent of a brewery or bakery! That is an excellent sign she is getting stronger and can handle more food. 

  • This time, add 1/3 cup flour and 1/4 cup water.

  • Mix well, until it looks like most of the flour clumps are broken up and the starter is fairly smooth. 

  • Cover the container, note the level of the starter on the side of the container, and set it aside again. If you’re using a pint jar, it should be about ⅓ full now.


A birds eye view four way image collage is shown. The first image shows the bottom of the jar and an active bubbly sourdough starter in the bottom. The second image shows a 1/3 cup measurement of flour being held over the jar. The third image shows a 1/4 cup measurement of water being held over the jar that now contains the fluffy flour seen below. The fourth image shows the jar after the water has been added, it is being stirred with a golden fork and the mixture resembles a slightly wet dough.
Day 4: After a few smaller feedings, the starter has began to bubble and grow slightly. Today, we add more flour and water than before.


Within 12 to 24 hours, your starter should bubble, rise, and nearly double in size! If your starter doesn’t appear to rise at this stage, see the troubleshooting notes at the bottom of this article. You may need to adjust your consistency, but it doesn’t mean the starter isn’t alive! If it is too runny, it won’t rise well. Different types of flours, humidity levels, and even measuring spoon sets can lead to some variation between our starter consistency and your own.

On the other hand, if your starter doubles in size and then quickly falls back down to the original starting point, you can move on to the next step sooner if you wish. That is a signal that she is getting hungry. (Smears on the side of the container are a sign that it rose and fell.) For example, if you added flour and water in the morning, it rose by midday, and fell back down by the evening – you could do the next feeding that same evening. Or, simply wait until the next morning. Either way is fine. At this stage, the example starter rose and fell in the same day, but not all the way back down to the original level marked on the container. Thus, we waited to feed her until the following day. 


A three part image collage, the first image shows the pint mason jar with the sourdough starter mixture in the bottom after it has first been fed with a red line marking its height. There is a time superimposed on the image below the jar that reads "12 PM". The second image shows the jar after a few hours and it has more than doubled in height. The superimposed time stamp below the jar reads "3 PM". The third image shows the jar after the sourdough starter has fallen, though it is still a half inch above the red line where it had originally started. The superimposed time stamp below the jar reads "8 AM (next day)".
After feeding on Day 4, the starter more than doubled in size in just 3 hours. It started to fall back down over night (decrease in activity) as seen by the smears on the side of the jar. It was ready to be fed again the next morning.


Day 5 


If your starter is now actively bubbling, rising and falling – congratulations! You have successfully reactivated the dry sourdough starter. When a starter rises to double its size and then stays elevated, that is considered “peak activity”. Technically, it is ready to bake with at that point! However, at this stage in our reactivation journey, we don’t have quite enough volume for ongoing baking and maintenance. Every time you bake sourdough you must leave behind at least a half a cup of starter to feed and continue on. Therefore, we need to add a bit more bulk to the starter, and also move it into a larger container – her forever home. 

  • Transfer your starter from the mason jar into a clean mixing bowl.

  • Now, add 1 scant cup of fresh flour (just a hair shy of a cup!) and 1/2 cup of filtered lukewarm water. These measurements are approximately equal weights of flour and water in grams, which is the recommended flour-to-water ratio for ongoing starter maintenance.

  • Mix well, and then transfer the starter into a new larger container of choice. Set it aside at room temperature once again. 


A white ceramic bowl is shown partially full of a sourdough starter mixture. A maroon silicon spatula is shown inserted into the mixture as it was used to combine the ingredients.
Day 5: Giving our girl more food than ever so she can grow big and strong!
A two part image collage, the first image shows a liter flip top jar with the active sourdough mixture in the bottom after it was fed. A red line was made on the jar to show where the mixture first started. There is a superimposed time stamp below the jar that reads "10:30 AM". The second image shows the jar after a few hours and the active sourdough starter has risen to almost the top of the jar, it has more than doubled in size from its original height. The superimposed time stamp below the jar reads "3 PM".
Day 5: after transferring the fed starter into a larger (1 liter or 34 ounce) container, it more than doubled in size once again. At this point, it is ready to bake with – or needs to be refrigerated and/or fed.


Choosing a final storage container:

We like to store our sourdough starter in a glass flip-top container that is at least 1 liter/quart (the very minimum) up to a 1.5 liter container. We are currently using this 1-liter glass container (34 ounces). It provides sufficient space for the starter to be fed and double in size, and it also fits well in our fridge. We only ever bake one sourdough loaf or recipe at a time, and most of our sourdough recipes call for about 1/2 to 1 cup of active starter on average. Therefore, we don’t need to maintain a huge amount of starter.

However, if you plan to make several loaves of bread or many sourdough goodies at once, you will want to use at least a 1.5 liter to even a 2 liter container and maintain a larger volume of starter than we do. You can always scale up later if you decide to!

*If you choose to use a larger container (1.5 to 2 liter) from the get-go, allow the starter to rise and fall once in the new large container. That will likely take several hours to one day. Then, feed the starter again in the same manner (1 scant cup flour and 1/2 cup water) to increase your overall volume once more before proceeding to the next step. 


Two flip top jars are shown, the one on the left is a 2 liter size and the one on the right is a 1 liter size. They are both full to the top with bubbly active sourdough starter.
Options for ongoing storage, showing a 2-liter container on the left (ideal for regular/heavy bakers) or a 1-liter container on the right (what we maintain for baking one sourdough recipe every weekend or two).


My sourdough starter is active! Now what?


At this time, I suggest you head on over to our article about sourdough starter ongoing maintenance. There, I go over the various ways you can feed and store your starter. A sourdough starter needs to be periodically fed. When it goes unfed, the starter will shrink down and eventually develop a layer of fermentation byproduct called hooch. That is a sure sign it is hungry. If enough time passes, a starved sourdough starter may die.

The feeding frequency depends on if you choose to keep your starter at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Maintaining a starter at room temperature requires significantly more work (and flour!) – as it needs to be fed once or twice per day! I would only recommend this for serious bakers who are using their starter many times per week. On the other hand, you can store your starter in the refrigerator like we do. Then, it will only need to be fed once every week or two. 


If you get to the final step and aren’t sure how to proceed, simply put the active starter in the refrigerator for now.


You may also want to visit this article that discusses the supplies we regularly use to bake sourdough. For example, a kitchen scale (since most sourdough recipes are by weight, not volume), proofing baskets, or the cast iron “dutch oven” that we prefer to bake bread in.


A loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread is shown still in its cast iron baking pan. The bread is light brown to darker brown in the more crispy parts. The strands of gluten are visible on the crust of the bread.
A fresh loaf of homemade sourdough. We like to bake our bread inside a cast iron combo cooker (similar to an upside down Dutch oven) inside the oven. Professional bakers say it is the closest thing you can get to a commercial oven at home, and creates steam and extra heat for an incredible crust!


Going forward

Clearly, you can’t infinitely add more flour and water to your container… the starter will quickly outgrow it’s home! In our starter maintenance article, you’ll learn a new style of feeding that is a bit different than what we’ve been doing to build up our starter here. Now when you feed your sourdough starter, you’ll almost always discard a portion before adding fresh flour and water. That may mean removing some to use in a recipe for baking, or simply removing some starter from the container to make space for more. The discarded portion can be used to make crackers or pancakes, fed to chickens, or added to a compost pile. 


Transitioning your sourdough starter to a different kind of flour

If you want to feed your sourdough starter whole wheat, rye, or another type of flour, feel free to do so! In fact, many starters become even more vigorously active with wheat and rye flour. I suggest easing the starter into the change, by gradually adding the new flour type mixed with the original flour that it is accustomed to eating. For example, if you’re currently feeding your starter all-purpose flour, try using 3/4 cup AP and 1/4 cup whole wheat for the first feeding, see how it responds, then increase to half and half, and so on with subsequent feedings. We often feed our personal starter half bread flour and either half whole wheat or half rye.


A birds eye view of the top of jar of active sourdough starter is shown. There is a blue silicon spatula inserted into the top to show the elasticity of the starter. It looks like marshmallow fluff, with the starter stretching and pulling from the sides to the spatula.
A fluffy, spongy, lacy sourdough starter at peak activity. Can you believe this started with a half a tablespoon of powder just 5 days ago?


TROUBLESHOOTING


My starter isn’t rising!

A couple of issues may cause a sourdough starter to not rise well. For one, it could be too cold in your home – though there should be at least some activity, even in the coolest conditions. A more common cause is the starter consistency.


Starter is too wet

When a starter is too wet or runny, the fermentation bubbles may rise right through and out of the mixture, rather than being trapped inside. The starter is very much alive, but doesn’t have enough structure to grow. If at any time your starter doesn’t rise and also seems easy to pour (like thin pancake batter), is it probably too wet. Stir in more flour to stiffen it up, adding just a few tablespoons at a time until it becomes more thick and gooey (but not a solid ball of dough). In a more stiff sourdough starter, fermentation bubbles become trapped inside the mixture, causing it to grow and become more spongy. 


House is too cold 

If your house is on the cool side, you could store your sourdough starter near a warm appliance, use an electric heating pad or seedling heat mat nearby (next to but not right against it – that would likely be too warm). Another option is to wrap the container in classic holiday lights. I emphasize classic lights because newer LED lights do not get warm. These are all tricks we use and suggest for keeping homemade kombucha warm and active too! 

Last but not least, our favorite easy way to keep both sourdough starter and proofing bread dough warm during the cold winter months is to keep it inside the oven – with the oven OFF, but the oven light on! It creates the perfect cozy home. It if gets too warm in the oven, keep the door cracked open slightly. Remember to monitor temperatures in the area of the starter container with an ambient thermometer. We only do this when it is below 65°F  in the house.


It is simply hungry.

Once your starter rises and falls, it won’t rise again until it is fed again. The yeast and bacteria within the sourdough starter colony can be self-limiting, and will only actively grow when there is “food” (fresh flour) left to consume. So, if it has been sitting out for a few days and it hasn’t risen yet, it won’t magically start doing so! In fact, if it sits too long it will develop a layer of fermentation byproduct called hooch, described below.

If your starter has seemed to stagnate, try discarding half of the contents in the container and then feeding it with a scant 1 cup of fresh flour plus 1/2 cup of lukewarm filtered water. It should perk back up! Then, continue to the ongoing starter care and maintenance instructions and either store it in the fridge or continue feeding daily.


What is that dark liquid on the top of my sourdough starter?

When the yeast in a sourdough starter has eaten up all of its available food and is hungry for more, it produces a thin dark layer of liquid on top. This is an indication that your starter is more active than you’re feeding it. It is a naturally-occurring alcohol created by the yeast, called hooch. This is totally normal! It will most likely happen after the starter has risen to peak activity, fallen back down, and has neglected to be fed. Or, if the starter is ignored in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can either pour the hooch off the top, or simply mix it back in, then discard and feed as usual.

Going forward, if you neglect your sourdough starter for a long time and it’s looking especially “sus”, read through this troubleshooting guide: Is My Sourdough Starter Bad? How to Revive Old Inactive Starter


The bottom of a jar is shown that contains a hungry sourdough starter. There is a clear liquid on top of the starter mixture. This starter needs to be fed to keep the sourdough starter active and alive.
A layer of hooch formed on top of our sourdough starter after spending a couple weeks unfed in the refrigerator. As long as it isn’t moldy, it is all good!


And that is how you reactivate a dry sourdough starter!


Please, do not be intimated by the process. It is incredibly easy! By starting with an established healthy colony of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, you’re already miles ahead of the game. You’ll be baking your first loaf of sourdough bread in no time!


Once your starter is active and ready, try some of our favorite sourdough recipes:


Please let me know if you have any questions. We’d also love to hear your success stories with a review or comment. Thanks for tuning in, and happy baking!


Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.75 from 40 votes

How to Reactivate a Dry (Dehydrated) Sourdough Starter

Follow this step-by-step guide to reactivate a dry sourdough starter. The process takes about a week, but is very easy to do! By the end, a small amount of dry sourdough will transform into a voluminous, bubbly, active culture – ready to bake with. But not just once! With a little love and weekly care, one sourdough starter will provide you with years and years of delicious, nutritious, and rewarding sourdough baking at home.
Prep Time10 minutes
Activation Time5 days
Keyword: Dehydrated sourdough starter, Dry sourdough starter, Gluten-free sourdough starter, organic sourdough starting, reactivating dry sourdough starter

Equipment

  • Pint-size glass mason jar and lid or similar (for initial activation)
  • Larger glass container, such as a 1 to 2 liter glass flip-top container (for ongoing starter storage)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Tbsp dried sourdough starter culture
  • white bread flour or all-purpose flour (amount varies with each step)
  • filtered lukewarm water (non-chlorinated, avoid using cold water)

Instructions

Day 1

  • In a clean pint-size mason jar (or similar) combine 1/2 Tbsp of dried sourdough starter powder or flakes (one H&C package) with 1.5 Tbsp of filtered lukewarm water. Allow the dry sourdough starter and water to sit for several minutes to soften and combine. Use a fork or spoon to stir it on occasion.
  • Add 1 Tbsp of flour. Mix thoroughly. (See consistency notes below)
  • Cover the jar with a lid, beeswax wrap, plate, or other cover to prevent it from drying out. Set the container in a moderately warm location (70 to 75F is ideal). Come back in about 24 hours.

Day 2

  • Into the same jar as yesterday, add 1 Tbsp of flour and 2 teaspoons of water to the starter. Mix well.
  • Cover the jar or container again, and allow it to sit for another 24 hours.

Day 3

  • Repeat the same feeding process as Day 2 (1 Tbsp flour and 2 teaspoons water).

Day 4

  • This time, add 1/3 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to the starter. Mix well.
  • Cover the container and set aside once again. Consider marking the level of the starter after feeding. It should rise quite a bit by this time!

Day 5

  • Transfer your starter from the mason jar into a clean mixing bowl.
  • Add 1 scant cup of fresh flour (just a hair shy of a cup!) and 1/2 cup of water. Mix thoroughly.
  • Transfer the starter into a new larger container of choice (such as a 1 to 2 liter glass flip-top jar). This will be the starters "forever home". Set it aside at room temperature once again.
  • If your starter is now actively bubbling, rising and falling – congratulations! You have successfully reactivated the dry sourdough starter. When a starter rises to double its size and then stays elevated, that is considered “peak activity” and is ready to bake with. It will deflate after a few hours and need to be fed or refrigerated.

Ongoing Starter Maintenance

  • To learn how to feed and store you now-active sourdough starter, please refer to our sourdough starter maintenance article (linked in the notes below). If you aren't sure what to do next, put your active starter in the fridge while you do your homework!

Notes

.
Ongoing Sourdough Starter Care: For ongoing starter maintenance (feeding instructions and storage options), see this article.  
Starter Consistency: This recipe was developed using the Homestead and Chill dry sourdough starter culture.  Using different brand sourdough starters may result in varying consistencies. Every individual home environment (e.g. different elevations and humidity) could also lead to some variations. The goal throughout this process is to maintain a thick gooey starter. It should settle smoothly into the bottom of the container (meaning, not clump into a firm ball of dough like cookie batter) but it shouldn’t be easy to pour or runny like pancake batter. The sourdough starter should be somewhere in between. Eventually, an active sourdough starter will be spongy like marshmallow fluff. If at any time throughout this process you feel that your starter has become too stiff or too thin, feel free to add a sprinkle more flour or splash of water until the desired consistency is reached. Do so in small quantities, such as a teaspoon at a time (especially in the first few days).
Troubleshooting: A couple of issues may cause a sourdough starter to not rise well. For one, it could be too cold in your home – though there should be at least some activity, even in the coolest conditions. Try moving your starter to a warmer location, or creating a warmer environment for it (such as with holiday lights, a heat mat, or inside the oven with the light on but the oven off). A more common issue is the starter consistency. When a starter is too wet or runny, the fermentation bubbles may rise right through and out of the mixture, rather than being trapped inside and causing the starter to grow and rise. If at any time your starter doesn’t rise and also seems easy to pour (like thin pancake batter), is it probably too wet. Stir in more flour to stiffen it up, adding just a few tablespoons at a time until it becomes more thick and gooey.
 



DeannaCat signature, keep on growing

83 Comments

  • Lyndsey

    Hello 🙂

    Looking at different options for rehydrating starters and notice that you don’t do a discard… can you help explain? I am new to this and would love to learn. This seems much simpler and would provide you with more for baking so I’m confused what the discard is for?

    Thanks!!!

  • Thea

    Hi Deanna!

    I forgot day 4 😭 ugh!!

    48 hours later I just did the 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup. Any advice?

    It was pretty runny and maybe a little bubbley when I stirred it before adding. I’m scared I killed it!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Thea, you will be just fine! The process is really forgiving, it seems you just did the day 4 feeding now so I would just continue with the steps as instructed in the article. If your starter was bubbly, that is a good thing, the texture of the starter before you feed isn’t that big of a deal as that can fluctuate depending on how much flour or water is added. You should have a healthy and active sourdough starter here within the next few days, hope that helps and good luck!

  • Mary W

    5 stars
    Learned something new – thanks. I always thought starter had to breathe so used a coffee filter/rubber band covering. I kept a ‘spare’ starter in the fridge and took it out to ‘breathe’ every few days. I’ve kept mine alive for almost 2 years and adore the smell of starter and things to cook – pancakes! Just don’t care for bread. Now I don’t have to worry about the breathing nor the liquid ratio. I reduced mine to more in line with what you have shown since mine was sluggish and not full on bubbly. It rose and behaved fine but wasn’t like I see in others. Once I reduced the liquid (Florida is so humid) it all fell in line. I’m going to try your weekly refrigerator method. THANKS

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      That’s great to hear Mary, we really follow a simple approach in regards to feeding our starter, just cup measurements and “eyeballing” the amount of discard so we generally start off with close to the same amount of starter in the jar before feeding (usually an inch or so in the bottom of a quart mason jar). Don’t have to mess with weighing starter, flour, or water to have a successfully active starter, especially once you get it down. Have fun baking!

  • suzi

    5 stars
    I moved recently and dried my starter on parchment paper then broke it up into potato chip size pieces for travel. I have a generous amount. how to I follow your instructions working with the chips ? I assumed I would be rehydrated the whole shebang but… is there a volume advantage to rehydrating a larger amount to start? i’ve kept my starter in the fridge in the past making only one loaf every month or more. thank you.

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Suzi, if you have a blender, just blend up your starter pieces into more or less of a powder, from there, it will be easier to follow our reactivation instructions. I don’t think there is too much advantage to using a large amount of dried starter at once, even using a small amount, you typically have close to a quart of starter once it is fully active on the 5th day from starting the activation. Hope that helps and have fun baking!

  • Elly

    I started my sourdough starter last night at 6pm. Left it in a warm place with loose lid. This morning there’s already bubbles is that bad? Should I feed it more often?

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Elly, bubbles are not bad, that is a sign of life and activation. Stick to the steps we have outlined in the article and you should have a healthy and active sourdough starter to use for baking within 5 days or so. Hope that helps and have fun!

  • Mac

    Hi!
    Thank you for the detailed guide, it’s a huge help!

    I’ve been following this process to revive some old starter I was gifted (I don’t know how long it’s been dehydrated, but I can safely say I’ve had it least 2 and a half years in the cupboard).

    It actually seems responsive, and it did grow following the steps above for the first week.. bubbles appearing from day 2.

    My issue is that it’s never fully doubled. My understanding is, when people say “doubled”, that can mean way more but not really less? Yours clearly went past 2x the initial amount.

    I’m on the second week now, aiming for 1:1:1 feedings. I am starting with 30-50g of starter. I keep it in the living room where the temperature averages about 75F. The kitchen is colder, low 60s maybe.

    I have split it off, feeding different samples of it spelt, whole wheat, and white flour.

    The white flour reacts the poorest, hardly rising at all. Bubbles were rising through it so I’ve tried increasing the ratios of flour/water but that didn’t help (one offshoot started smelling like bananas?). I suspect it’s linked to flour quality so I’ve ordered better flour.

    The Spelt and Whole Wheat respectively have both got very close to doubling, but nothing like the gorgeous overflow I am seeing online. The starters do show lots of air bubbles throughout, so I know something is active. At the highest peak I’ve seen, they’re still about 1-1.5 cm off of doubled.

    I see info online about starters being sluggish while they’re young, but I don’t know if that applies to revived starters or just new ones.. The smell is definitely acetone, and I dared making crackers (thanks for the awesome recipe!) with the discard once, and they were tangy and great! But it fails any float tests, the most one plop floated was for about 5 seconds. And the doubling still seems off.

    If you have any thoughts or insight, it would be greatly appreciated! Until then, I’ll keep serving the starter as diligently as I can 🙂

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Mac, it seems like everything is going well as you are seeing activity in your starter accompanied with the fermented aromas, even if it hasn’t exactly doubled in size, it looks like you are on the right track. We don’t weigh the flour or water when we feed our starter now, we discard the quart or liter sized jar down to about an inch or so of starter left, then we feed it a scant cup flour and 1/2 cup water (although we typically add a little more water to get the right consistency). The more you become familiar with the process and what the texture of the starter should be, you will likely start seeing a more active starter. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the float test either, it seems your starter is active so it should only continue to build from there.

      Also, are you leaving your starter on the counter and feeding it everyday? Maybe try and store it in the fridge for a few days to a week before you decide to take it out and feed it again to see if that doesn’t change things up slightly for your. We typically leave ours in the fridge and take it out the night before we want to feed the starter for use in a recipe. Hope that helps and good luck on your sourdough baking journey.

  • Monica

    5 stars
    On day 3 of reactiving and so far so good! Thank you for your detailed instructions and advice. Question, please. About how much starter will be available for using in a recipe? I’m a little confused on how much to discard once it’s ready (I know it will depend some on the recipe I want to use it in), but how much starter minimum should be left in the home to feed and grow again? Thank you again!

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Monica, glad to hear your activation process is moving along well. The amount of starter that you have on hand can vary depending on how large your jar(s) is/are and how much you feed it. For our purposes, we keep our starter in a quart sized mason jar. We typically discard to around an inch of starter left in the jar before feeding it a scant cup flour and 1/2 cup water (sometimes we add a tad extra water depending on the consistency of the starter once its mixed). This usually fills the jar close to half full, once the starter is fully active, it is close to the top of the jar and will spill out of the top if you don’t get to it in time. This is more than enough starter to make a loaf or even two loaves of our basic sourdough bread recipe. Our focaccia recipe uses a bit more active starter so you aren’t left with as much but the jar usually gets nowhere close to being back to the 1 inch mark unless we are discarding and going to feed it again. Hope that helps and have fun baking.

    • Maddy Fields

      These instructions are so helpful & my sourdough starter seems to be thriving so far (maybe too much)? I have one question.. I’m at the end of day two (fed about 7 hours ago) and I’m noticing that my starter already rose and fell. My thermometer in my oven with it off/light on is 84 so quite warm. Am I okay to skip day 3 instructions and go to the bulked up feeding on day 4?

      • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

        Hi Maddy, I wouldn’t skip day 3 and I would remove the starter from the oven as 84 degrees is a bit warm and just leave it on your counter, 70-75 is the optimal temperature for a starter. Hope that helps and good luck!

  • Jess

    Hi I bought a dry starter and followed the one instruction it had on there – add 80ml of water and 90ml of flour and wait 24-48hours. Stupidly I did that.
    What do I do now? I came across your instructions a tiny bit too late and am wondering now what to do?
    Do I add the same amount daily for a week, add less ? Please help me revive Helmut properly!
    Thank you.

    • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

      Hi Jess, it’s hard for me to say as I don’t know how much dried starter you initially started with? Was that the entirety of the instructions that were given with your starter? I would wait the two days, discard half of the starter and then feed the same amount that you initially did. Hopefully after that time you will see some activity in your starter. Essentially you are trying to build an active starter, so feeding it some, letting it consume the food for 24 to possible 48 hours which helps it grow before discarding some and feeding again. Hope that helps and good luck!

      • Jess

        Yes, I used the entire sashet that was in the packet. Those were the only instructions. Add and then wait 24-48 hours and once you see bubbles, you are ready to make bread. That’s it.

        Thank you very much! Should I repeat that for a week then?

        • Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)

          Yeah those weren’t very good directions at all and it takes a little more than that to get active sourdough starter. Anyway, I would just repeat every day or so depending on the type of activity you see, it likely should only take 3 days or so with what you are starting out with. We keep our mature starter in a liter sized jar, after we feed it, it gets to the top of the jar before we consider it active. Check out our article on How to Feed Your Sourdough Starter + Storage & Care Tips. Good luck!

          • Jess

            Thank you very much for your help! He doesn’t look ‘active’ at all yet. Off to feed again.
            I appreciate all your help

  • Chuck

    5 stars
    I got some dehydrated starter, but it didn’t come with instructions. I used your instructions and it worked great. Mine did not seem super active on day 4, so I did another day of 1 Tbsp flour, then on day 5 did the 1/3 cup; it doubled in size in just a couple hours and now it’s most of the way back down. Thank you for the excellent instructions. My plan is to put it in a bigger jar and add the 1 cup flour before I go to bed and I’m going to try your basic recipe tomorrow.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating