Build & Maintain a Fresh-Milled Sourdough Starter
Combine 50 g freshly milled whole wheat or rye with 50 g water daily for 7 days, then switch to a 1:5:5 feed and refrigerate between weekly bakes.
Key Takeaways
- Fresh-milled flour activates 2-3 days faster than store-bought
- Use rye or whole wheat for the build, then transition to your bake flour
- Peak rise (doubled) in 4-6 hours at 75°F signals readiness
- Refrigerate after one strong feed for weekly baking schedules
- Discard maintenance: keep only 20-50 g between feeds to save flour
Summary
A step-by-step guide to creating a robust whole-grain sourdough starter from scratch and maintaining it for weekly baking.
Steps
- 1
Day 1: Mix 50 g fresh-milled whole rye or wheat with 50 g filtered water in a clear jar. Cover loosely. Hold at 75-80°F.
- 2
Days 2-3: Watch for bubbles. Discard half, feed 50 g flour + 50 g water once daily.
- 3
Days 4-6: Switch to twice-daily feeds (every 12 hours). Discard down to 25 g before each feed.
- 4
Day 7: Starter should double in 4-6 hours and pass the float test. It is ready to bake.
- 5
Maintenance: Feed 1:5:5 (10 g starter, 50 g flour, 50 g water), let peak, then refrigerate up to 7 days.