Can I use any type of flour?

• Yes you may. I currently use organic store bought flour. You can use white, wheat, spelt or whatever you have on hand. Don’t worry about switching flours, find what works for you.

There is a layer of crust on top of my sourdough, do I take it off?

• Yes, remove the crust and feed your starter. It may just mean you need to feed your starter a little sooner between feedings.

What is this clear – brownish liquid on top of my starter?

• This is called Hooch.

Does it mean my starter is bad?

• No, just remove the excess liquid and feed your starter, maybe adding just a little more flour(1-2 tbsp more) than usual. This just means you may need to feed your starter twice a day.

How often do I feed my starter?

• When it’s on the counter you will want to feed it 1-2 times a day. In the cooler months, you typically only need to feed it once a day. In the summer months it’s best to feed your starter in the morning and night.

I won’t be home for a few days, what do I do with my starter?

• Feed your starter and place it in the fridge, in a glass bowl with a lid or a mason jar. This will put your sourdough starter in a hibernation state, allowing you to forget about it for a period of time.

How often do I need to take my sourdough starter out of the fridge to feed it?

• Once a week is ideal, but honestly I’ve gone weeks or months. Keep an eye on it and look for the clear-brown liquid forming called hooch. Remove the liquid and feed your starter.

How do I use my starter and still have some left over to keep?

• If you want to make a recipe that calls for 1/2 to 1 cup starter, first you’ll want to make sure you feed your starter enough flour and water that will allow you to remove the amount needed for the recipe + have some left over. If I need to remove 1 cup of starter, a few hours prior to making the recipe, I will feed my sourdough starter- 1 cup filtered water and 1 cup flour. Once doubled in size, I will have 2 cups of sourdough starter.

What is Leaven?

• Leaven is a mixture of flour, water, and starter. Essentially it is an active starter. Some recipes will call “starter” leaven.

What does it mean when a recipe calls for “active sourdough starter?”

• This means that your starter was recently feed and it has worked through the flour and water, causing your starter to double in size. To test if your starter is active, place a small amount in water. If it floats your starter is active.

My sourdough starter is too runny, what should I do?

• Simply add 1-2 tbsps more flour to thicken it up.

My sourdough starter is too thick, what should I do?

• Add 1-2 tbsps more water until you get a pancake like consistency.