The sourdough starter you ordered via the webshop needs care. Follow the refreshment steps below. Then store it in the refrigerator if not used. If you don’t plan to use your sourdough culture soon, we recommend refreshing it 2 or 3 times over a period of 2 days before turning it into a dry dough ball and storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.To store the culture for a long period (months) without maintenance, complete dehydration of the starter s the only practical option.
- Read here more about starter maintenance.
- More information about active versus dried sourdough starter is available here.
- Information about the sourdough map is available here.
order fresh sourdough starter in our webshop
Maintenance of the starter after receiving it by post, see also images below.
- After receiving and opening the fresh starter by post (10 -15 grams), a fermented smell is observed.
- If the starter has been in transit for a long time (3 days or more), soak it first in a warm bath (30 -35 °C) for 15 minutes to wash away excess acid. Add a pinch of sugar for additional activation. Discard this “bath water” after 15 minutes.
- For a starter of 10 grams. Crumble (scissors might be handy) the starter and mix it (optional with clean hand) with approximately 20 grams of fresh warm water (max 35 °C).
- Dissolve and then mix with approximately 12 grams of flour (T65, flour, possibly also a little rye flour) into a paste.
- After 4 to 5 hours at a temperature of approx. 24-26 °C, fermentation bubbles are visible. The starter now has a slightly pleasant sour yogurt taste.
- Then follow standard procedures for using and caring for sourdough starters. Store in the refrigerator if not used.
You can feed it with organic flour to meet your organic standards, or turn it into a rye or any other type of sourdough starter you wish. A well-maintained starter smells and tastes pleasant. For tips on how to maintain the sourdough starter have a look here.
Answering Questions About the Sourdough Starter Sent by Post
- The sourdough starter (note the word starter) that we send is maintained daily in our bakery (labor), hand-weighed, and packaged before being brought to the post office (handling costs). The weight of the sourdough starter we send may vary.
- Working with sourdough requires knowledge, experience, and skills (it is not comparable to a packet of yeast from the supermarket). The exact weight of an active sourdough starter is not particularly relevant to starting the process. Starting with less sourdough starter can even benefit the subsequent process. Sourdough is something you build up from the starter, allowing it to thrive during the feeding process by refreshing it with fresh water and flour or meal. Starting with a small amount of sourdough starter is advisable to prevent the buildup of an excessive amount of sourdough. More sourdough starter is therefore not necessarily better!
- An active sourdough starter can generally be doubled in proportions ranging from 1:1 to 1:9. We recommend doubling the sourdough starter sent by post at a 1:1 ratio the first time (equal proportions of water and flour). After that, you can adjust based on your preferences and how you want to proceed. Each sourdough baker has their own methods and preferences.
- We always recommend tasting and smelling the sourdough starter you are building up (making a levain, or pre-fermented dough—Sauerteig in German). If it smells like yogurt (lactic acid), has a hint of sweetness when tasted, and you can see bubbles, your sourdough is in an active and “healthy” state and ready to be refreshed for the next step. If it smells and tastes too strongly of vinegar, it’s often better to refresh the starter first (let it ferment further at room temperature for 4–5 hours) before continuing. All these refreshing steps are best done at room temperature (20–24°C).
- If you are not actively using the sourdough starter but are only maintaining it, it’s better to dry it out slightly with more flour and store it in the fridge. The starter can then be used again after one or two weeks to restart your process. If you do not maintain the sourdough starter well, its activity will decrease, and over time the sourdough culture, made up of “wild” bacteria and yeasts, will slowly die off.
- To reactivate a sourdough starter that has been in the fridge for a while, plan for at least 1 or sometimes 2 days (at room temperature with regular refreshing). This is a process that requires planning, care, and time, and it’s something you will develop a feel for over time.
- Before starting your (bread) recipe, we recommend using part of your sourdough starter to make a rye levain (pre-ferment), which will eventually be used to make your sourdough bread. The sourdough starter itself can continue to be maintained with white (wheat) flour.