My sourdough starter is six years old and lives in this jar in my refrigerator. The liquid on top is called "hooch" and is perfectly normal.
No, you do not have to buy yeast to make really great bread. In fact, you never have to purchase yeast from the store again if you collect your own wild, local yeast and make your own sourdough starter. After you collect your wild yeast, the sourdough starter lives in a jar in your refrigerator. In fact, it can live there for hundreds of years if you take care of it properly. Here are the basics of collecting and maintaining your own wild yeast sourdough starter.
It’s important to note that not all wild yeasts are created equal. The iconic San Francisco sourdough is a wonderful wild yeast, but it is exceptional. In my last home in eastern Kansas the wild yeast was on the weak side, so while it was great for things like bagels and soft pretzels, it wasn’t the best for a light bread. However, now that I’ve moved to the Colorado Front Range I’m pleased with how wonderful the wild yeasts are and the wonderful light bread they make.
The ultimate goal with this is to have fun and to have another way to cut your tie to the commercial food chain. This is not always easy, and with wild yeast it means that you need to experiment with your starter often to learn the nature of your local yeast. But that’s where the fun is! Through time your wild yeast starter will be like an old friend; one that you can literally pass on to your children and grandchildren. For a video introduction on sourdough check out our video, “Intro to Sourdough.”
COLLECTION
Collecting wild yeast is pretty easy. All you need is a bowl, flour, warm water (about 85F) and a jar in which to store your starter. When you’re first collecting your yeast, white flour seems to work a bit better than wheat flour, but after you have a nice starter going you can add wheat flour as you maintain your starter, and you are free to use just about any kind of flour when baking.
First, take a bowl and mix together 2 cups of flour and 2 cups warm water (about 85F). It’s ok if there are lumps–it doesn’t need to be perfectly mixed. But do not mix in anything else besides flour and water! This is very important. Incorporate air into the mix with some vigorous strokes, however; yeast floats around in the air, so the more air contact your mix has the better.
Next, cover your bowl lightly with cheesecloth or a kitchen towel; never use anything like a plate or saran wrap, as this will prevent air (and therefore yeast) from making contact with your mix. If it’s summer time you can let the bowl sit outside so your mix has access to as much wild yeast floating around as possible. If it’s winter, put the bowl in a warmish, protected spot like in a cold oven. Over the next 24 hours, stir your mix about once every three to six hours just to get more air incorporated.
For a review of the process up to this point watch “Step 1: Collecting Wild Yeast for Sourdough.”
After 24 hours, check your starter and see how bubbly it is. You may not have many bubbles at all–it just depends upon a variety of factors like season and the nature of your local yeast, so don’t feel discouraged if the process takes two or three days. If you don’t see a lot of bubbles, whip the starter with a fork or something to incorporate more air, then let it sit, covered, in a warmish spot for another 24 hours. For more info on this step watch “Step 2: Growing your Wild Yeast.”
After two days, we have foaming and bubbles, proving that we've caught the wild yeast!
It can take two to three days for the yeasts to start growing in your starter. You’ll be able to tell if the bubbles you’re seeing are “active” bubbles or just air bubbles that you’ve mixed in coming to the surface. Check out this video to see what you can expect: “Step 3 Final Step Sourdough.”
Now that your starter is done, you can put it in a quart-sized jar and add another cup of flour and another cup of 85F water. Leave it sit for another day or so, then put it in your fridge where the yeasts will go dormant, ready for you to activate when you bake.
SWEETENING THE POT
The only thing that can really kill your sourdough starter is too much heat or starving it to death, and to prevent the later your starter does require some maintenance to remain happy and productive. Luckily, keeping it happy is easy, and it gives you the chance to share your starter with friends and family. You need to feed your starter once every five or six months, so this is not a time-consuming endeavor. Gold miners of old, who coveted their starters, called this maintenance process “sweetening the pot.” For a video of this process, see “Maintaining Your Sourdough Starter.”
The first step is to remove the jar of starter from your refrigerator. If you haven’t used your starter in several months, you’ll notice there is a layer of liquid at the top. This is called the “hooch” and can simply be mixed back in with your starter.
Grab another jar, which has been cleaned and sterilized, and place half of your starter in the new jar. Add a cup of new flour to this, and a cup of warm, 85F water. Mix until incorporated (lumps are fine) and let it sit overnight so the yeasts have a chance to start eating the new flour. Put your new jar back in the refrigerator until your next baking (or next pot sweetening). That’s all there is to it!
What do you do with the other half of your starter that’s in the original jar? This is your chance to earn some good karma and give it away to friends or family. It will be a great chance to bond with people you care about, and spread some fun and food independence along the way.
Check out our recent post on baking bread using your new sourdough starter: Using Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter: Basic Bread.
Carla Hallman McGinnis
January 22, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Have you ever tried Herman sourdough starter?? It is so wonderful!!! Breads , pancakes, sweeter things in life. I am in the process of my <3 Herman <3…he is so awesome!! I can not wait until Herman gets a little age on him. :0)
Rural Spin
January 22, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Yes, we’ve done that in the past but you must *buy yeast* for Herman. We prefer to collect local, wild, free yeast from the air, which can be used for all manner of cooking. We’ve made bagels, soft pretzels, breads, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, waffles, pizza crusts and more with the historic method presented in this blog. But if you dig Herman, have at it! And thanks for reading.
Kelly Martin Hayes Ozias
January 23, 2012 at 3:22 pm
how do i use my starter? and does anyone have the starter recipe for “amish bread starter”? it makes a kind of sweet bread.
Rural Spin
January 23, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Check out our video on using wild sourdough starter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWU2b2W2CC4
Kaye
January 23, 2012 at 7:08 pm
There is a web site….. Amish bread starter. It show how to start and alot of reciepes.
tiffany
April 29, 2012 at 2:14 pm
StarterMix
1c warm milk 110 degrees
1pkg yeast
1c flour
1c sugar
1/4 c water 110 degrees
Day1
Dislove yeast 10 minutes in water.
In a 2 quart container mix flour, sugar….slowly stir in warm milk to yeast mixture, let sit.
Day 2-5
Squish in bag
Day 6
Add 1c flour
1c Sugra
1c milk
take out 3 cups, place on cup in 3 individual bags 1 cup per bag, give 1 bag and copy of directions to a friend
Add to rest 1c oil
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1tsp vanilla
In a separate bowl
2 c flour
1c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp salt
Add dry ingredients to wet mix and pur into 2 well greased bread pans
bake @ 325 degrees for 1 hour
Hope this helps, it was give to me by my sister and I never made it. Let me know how it works.
Martie
January 23, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Thank-you! i’ve wanted to try this. question: so i take x amount of starter out how do i add back to it? do i do that just like sweetening the pot? Also do you have a good sourdough recipe?
Rural Spin
January 23, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Yes, Martie, to add back to it you add another cup of flour and a cup of warm 85F water and stir. We just finished a video on baking bread with sourdough starter and it includes a recipe. We’ll also be writing a blog post on it, but in the mean time check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWU2b2W2CC4
Christine
April 28, 2012 at 1:45 pm
I have heard you can start a good starter using fresh ground wheat. I have the berries I get locally from a farmer near me, and grind them to make bread. Will that work, or should I use the white commercial flour?
Rural Spin
April 28, 2012 at 2:00 pm
Oh, you can use fresh ground wheat for sure, it’s just that white seems to work better at collecting wild yeast over wheat, to start. After you collect it and get your starter going, though, wheat works fine. The flour is the food for the yeast, and white flour is more “available” as energy than wheat flour can be…if you think about it that’s the reason we are encouraged to eat wheat bread over white–white is basically fast food of the flour world. If you use fresh ground wheat, just keep in mind that it might take longer for your yeast to catch hold.
Erica
May 3, 2012 at 3:04 pm
I have been trying to make wild yeast for the last 2 weeks. I have been so confused with everyone’s option and way of doing things. No one was as clear and detailed in explaining the process as you have been. I really appreciate your simple and clear instructions. I’m going to try to make wild yeast again following your instructions as closely as I can. I know there are a lot of variations, but you gave me a good foundation to start. Thank you!
Gregory Richard
April 28, 2012 at 11:12 pm
I love the tutorial videos. Thanks!
However, I have tried the steps and found my first bread to be a bit doughy or heavy. Can you tell me how I might correct and make the bread lighter? Did I not grow my sourdough starter long enough, or did I add to much flour at the time of kneading? – I am in northern Indiana,
BTW – the first loaf is very tasty! Yeah!!!
Rural Spin
April 29, 2012 at 12:25 am
There are a few ways you can make the bread lighter (and much of the success of working with wild collected yeast is to take the time to really get to know how your unique yeast behaves–this learning process is normal). First, let your bread dough rise longer, and make sure it really is rising in a warm environment (covered with a dry cloth…NOT a wet cloth, which cools the dough). 85F is optimum, and this can generally be achieved by placing the dough in a cool oven and leaving the oven light on. I had one gentleman in Texas who had to leave his bread rise overnight instead of a few hours because his Texas yeast was so slow. I recommend starting bread in the morning, and monitoring it once an hour to see how long it takes to rise by about half. Keep in mind, though, that your local yeast may not every produce “light” bread…you’re just trying to find that sweet spot.
Second, when you are ready to add flour to the sponge to make your bread (AFTER you have placed your leftover starter back in the fridge for future baking endeavors), use bread flour. Bread flour has more gluten in it and will rise better than all purpose flour. It is wonderful for bread because it does allow for lighter bread products. Try those out and see how it goes!
Crystal
April 30, 2012 at 4:58 am
We really enjoyed this informative post and videos and are interested in making our own starter in Colorado Springs @ 6035 ft. Do you have any tips or thoughts on the “quality” of wild yeast in this area?
Rural Spin
April 30, 2012 at 12:05 pm
No, I don’t. Sorry I can’t help, but give it a shot and see what happens!
Bonnie
May 25, 2012 at 5:07 pm
I am on my second attempt to catch wild yeast. The first batch had “hootch” on the top every time I went to stir it. There were bubbles on the second day but no foaming and creaveses. Let it go for a third day but is was as thin as water without any bubbles. Now the second batch had “hootch” on top at the first stirring. I have watched all the videos so I must be missing something. Oh, first batch was with windows open and high 70′s. Second batch is with the air conditioning on and in the high 80′s and 90′s outside.
Bonnie
May 29, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Ok, I stirred the second batch more and it thickened up nicely but never developed bubbles other than ones from stirring. Maybe my flour is too old? I bought some new organic all-purpose and will try another batch. Can yogurt tell I really want to catch wild yeast!!!
Rural Spin
May 30, 2012 at 1:37 am
If it seems too thin to you, add more flour. I go for a cake batter consistency myself, but the process is very forgiving and pretty much fail-proof. I suspect your first batch was fine. Don’t necessarily expect foaming…it all depends upon the nature of your wild yeast. They all act very differently. I never had foaming in Kansas, but here in northern Colorado the yeast is definitely bubblier. All wild yeasts are different. The yeast will be better collected in warmer temps, so I suggest putting it outside with a towel over it to keep out critters.
Grregory Richard
June 4, 2012 at 1:56 am
Hello, I really wish your were single, because I think I lwould be in love you! I have just baked by 4th loaf and even though I have not cut into to it yet, I can see and smell that this one is perfect! Wow! I am in heaven. Thank you Rural Spin!!!
Rural Spin
June 4, 2012 at 4:03 am
Haha! You’re welcome!
Jaq
June 15, 2012 at 12:01 am
Can wild yeast still be caught if one lives in an apartment in the city?
Rural Spin
June 17, 2012 at 12:04 am
Yes it can.
Rebecca
August 3, 2012 at 12:02 pm
I just tried my first batch 0f wild caught yeast, and I can’t wait to use it for bread! We must have really ‘yeasty’ air here on the coast of Rhode Island, because my starter grew enough to fill the original bowl, thick and bubbly, within 24 hours. I ended up splitting it into two jars when I added the final cup of flour. I left the house for 4 hours and the yeast had grown so much, it ‘escaped’ both jars. It is now resting in the fridge, but I’m dying to find out what kind of bread it will make!
Carolyn
August 8, 2012 at 7:55 am
Has anyone ever conducted a “sort of” experiment by collecting wild yeast from different parts of the country and taste tested the results? Could you tell a difference? I envision a refrigerator filled with jars labeled, ” SF California” and “Denver CO”, etc. etc.
Rural Spin
August 12, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Yes, they do taste different! Unfortunately, you can’t have jars filled with different regional yeasts–inevitably the wild yeast wherever the samples are stored will take over all samples. My Kansas yeast eventually turned into Denver yeast, and it really didn’t take all that long. This is why someone can’t buy San Francisco sourdough starter, ship it to Maine, and expect to have San Fran sourdough forever–eventually it will just turn into Maine.
Stacy
August 10, 2012 at 2:55 pm
I started my starter 24 hrs ago. I have bubbles but its still kind of runny. I assume I need to let it sit longer. Am I on the right track?
Rural Spin
August 12, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Runny is not a problem…the ideal consistency is along the lines of pancake batter, but if you feel it’s too runny just add more flour. The bubbles are the indicator…bubbles won’t “thicken” the starter. When you get bubbles, you’re done!
Stacy
August 12, 2012 at 8:24 pm
thank you! Added more flour today and its finally looking good. Lots of bubbles
Sylvia
August 31, 2012 at 3:24 pm
I started with freshly ground soft white wheat and some freshly ground barley. I mixed the warm water, covered with a light cotton cloth and put it in my sunroom (open to the outdoors). About 15 hours later, there were lots of bubbles so I added equal parts same flour and water. The odor was really really bad. Like a poopy baby diaper. But I stirred it up and returned it to continue its growth. Now I have a living growing bubbling mass of stuff that I CANNOT stomach the smell of. To all appearances it is exactly as it should be and it is time to make bread out of it. BUT, my husband says he will not eat anything that smells like that. I wonder if the barley flour caused this stink? I may go ahead and make a loaf but not sure if it will be different when baked…. or it will be dog food. If you know any reason for the awful smell of my sourdough starter, please help!
Rural Spin
September 1, 2012 at 7:18 am
The only reason I can see is the barley. You can add barley flour to a loaf when you’re actually making the loaf, but for your starter, keep it to just the wheat flour and water. But personally, I’d try making a loaf with it and seeing how it went…what is stinky now might be glorious later!
Catherine
September 18, 2012 at 11:25 am
Is there anyway to over feed your starter? I take my starter out of the fridge, feed it, then I get going on other things. Eventually I put it back in the fridge without even using it. The next day I do the same thing. Am I over feeding it? Will it kill my starter? How long should I wait between feeding it and cooking with it. I read somewhere online that you don’t use a starter within 24 hours of feeding it. All this information gets overwhelming at times.
Rural Spin
September 18, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Nope…you cannot over-feed your starter. Feeding it every day is the ideal scenario, in fact! If you feed it daily, you don’t even need to refrigerate it. Starter is very forgiving…the only way you can kill it is to starve it or get it too hot. Everything else is pretty much good to go.
Dar
September 23, 2012 at 1:01 am
If I am impatient and want to use store bought yeast how would I modify your recipe?
Rural Spin
September 23, 2012 at 12:59 pm
It’s not a recipe so much as a process–this is how you create wild yeast sourdough starter. You’d still need to wait using store-bought yeast for the starter to sour, so you wouldn’t be saving time, really.
tad
December 10, 2012 at 9:50 am
Hello,
Is it the bubbles you are looking for or the dough pulling away and creating the stickiness that you see in your video? I have lots of bubbles after two days but the dough is not pulling away from the sides like in your video. Do I just stir it vigorously and wait longer? do I add more flour and water? Not sure what to do at this point. Thanks
Rural Spin
December 11, 2012 at 10:16 am
The bubbles are the secret! Bubbles are your indicator that your starter is ready for bakin’!
Steve Davis
January 27, 2013 at 1:15 pm
I made some sourdough starter, wasn’t sure it would work in winter in Alaska but it worked after 3days. Then made waffles w it. Turned out great. I added wheat flour to the pot this time.Seems like it might take longer to get the yeast active.It’s been 24 hrs and had no bubbles but seemed to have some houch on top. I did only stir it once that day. Probably should stired it more.Thanks for all the wonderful stories nd videos you post!!!!
Rural Spin
January 27, 2013 at 2:34 pm
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear you got some good yeast up there in Alaska! (I know…I’m way overdo for a video!)
Tammie
January 27, 2013 at 8:17 pm
I grew up in and around the bay area, my mom had a crock pot with her sourdough in it. She made the best bread ever! I sure miss her cooking.
shornrapunzel
February 17, 2013 at 10:07 am
Just found this post recently and it sounds like fun – I’m doing a “getting better with dough” project this year and sourdough is definitely on my list. I do have one question, though. Why, when you feed the starter as you detail at the end of the post, do you separate it and feed only half? Why not add flour and water to the whole thing and therefore (in case you have no one to give it to) eliminate the waste?
Thanks so much.
Rural Spin
February 17, 2013 at 4:20 pm
Basically, because my designated starter container is only so large, and feeding starter does require the addition of more flour and water. I use a quart-sized mason jar for my starter, and it will only hold so much. if you have larger containers ready to accept the additional flour/water, by all means save it! But it’s a matter of space more than anything.
shornrapunzel
February 18, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Got it, thanks! Appreciate this.
rachaelmcleve
February 28, 2013 at 8:24 am
Although I used a store-bought yeast for my sourdough starter, I absolutely love your post about creating and caring for a sourdough starter that we can pass down through generations. What a fantastic idea! Thank you SO much for sharing your experiences and insight and in such depth!
Rural Spin
March 1, 2013 at 5:03 pm
You’re so welcome! And thank you for saying so!
Sarah
March 17, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Hi,
I’ve been using my sourdough for nearly a year now (mostly for pancakes…mmmm) but haven’t used it for about 2 months now. I had placed a lid very loosely on my jar of starter and it’s been living in the fridge, but when I just got it out now to feed for some bread, I noticed that the hooch is charcoal grey, not the usual nearly-clear. Should I be worried? Have you ever experienced this?
Rural Spin
March 18, 2013 at 3:54 pm
Hooch color can vary tremendously depending upon local strains of yeast. I know someone in Alaska that has hooch that is nearly black it is so dark! No worries!