Sourdough Foundations: The "No-Gatekeep" Guide

(Or: How to keep a fermented pet without losing your mind)

Look, I know the sourdough corner of the internet is a lot. It’s scales, and $90 jars, and 14-day "journey" videos. We don't have time for that. I’ve been feeding Evangeline (my starter) for over a year now, and she’s a family member at this point. She came from a bakery in SF as a gumball-sized gift, and now she runs my cottage business.

If you want to bake bread that actually has structure and flavor, you just need to understand the mechanics. Here is the data dump.

An amber jar of Evangeline, our sourdough starter.

1. The Gear (Don't overthink this)

• The Jar: Use a wide-mouth glass jar (quart size). You need to see the bubbles. I use amber colored jars because I am a Libra and aesthetic makes me a better person.

• The Flour: Unbleached All-Purpose is fine. Bread flour is better for "strength." I use a 50/50 mix of Bread Flour and Whole Wheat because the "wild" stuff in the wheat makes the starter happier. I have treated Evangaline with Rye before too, but not in replacement of a feeding.

• The Water: If your tap water smells like a pool (chlorine), let it sit in an open cup for an hour before using it. Chlorine kills the "living" part of the starter.

2. The Maintenance (The 1:1:1 Rule)

This is the only math you actually need. Every time you feed it, you want equal parts (by weight) of Starter, Flour, and Water.

• Discard: Take half the starter out of the jar. Put it in a separate "discard" jar in the fridge for pancakes later. Do not skip this; if you don't discard, you’ll end up with a gallon of starter in three days.

• Feed: Add your flour and water to the remaining starter.

• The Consistency: Stir it until it looks like thick, gloppy pancake batter. If it's too runny, add a pinch more flour. If it’s like a brick, add a splash of water.

3. The "Peak" (When to actually bake)

Your starter is "Active" when it has doubled in size and looks like a bubbly chocolate mousse.

• The Float Test: If you aren't sure, drop a teaspoon of it into a cup of water. If it floats, the yeast has produced enough gas to lift a loaf. You’re ready.

4. The "Busy Mom" Refrigerated Pause

You do not have to do this every day. I don’t.

• The Dormancy: If you aren't baking, feed her, let her sit for 30 minutes, then put her in the fridge.

• The Long Game: She can stay there for a week—even two—without a feeding.

• The Wake-Up: When you want to bake, take her out 24 hours early. Give her one "room temp" feeding to wake her up, and she’ll be back to work.

5. Starting from Scratch?

If you weren't gifted a baby and are starting with just flour and water:

• Days 1-3: It will smell like old gym socks. This is normal. The "bad" bacteria is fighting the "good" yeast. Keep discarding and feeding.

• Days 5-7: The smell will turn fruity/yeasty (like beer).

• Day 10: It should be reliably doubling. Congratulations, you have a legacy. Name it. It’s harder to forget to feed something with a name.

Quick Note: This isn't a "series." This is the whole manual. If you have questions, just ask. Otherwise, go get some flour and start.