Updated Notes and Timestamps With FAQ

@FullProofBaking Method: Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch
Frequently Asked Questions: pages 1-2

Timestamps and notes: pages 3-7
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

FAQ1: “My starter is 5 days old and there is no rise in volume!” - Probably the most common
question of all. Be mindful that starters are all different; they develop uniquely over the first few
weeks. Some starters have a rapid early rise in the first few days, followed by a sudden and
seemingly inexplicable loss of activity, and you may worry it has died. This first wave is normal
(not having a first wave: also normal). The microbes we are selecting for - the lactic-acid bacteria
and yeasts - take their time balancing out and trust that it takes time/patience for the starter to
mature (don’t give up)! My starter did not rise much at all for about 10 days. Instead, in the early
days try to focus on characteristic changes happening to your starter: you can observe your
starter progressing due to changes in aroma and consistency.
FAQ2: “When will I know to feed next?” - Active yeasts (pump out CO2) can take more time to
balance out - even weeks into the process - and you may not be able to easily gauge starter
activity by volume increase in the 1st week (or even the 2nd week!). During this time, the microbes
are normalizing, & you should find your starter becoming liquidy and quite pungent in odor after
12-24 hrs (early days maybe cheesy; later on, a more sour aroma). Use THIS as your sign to feed
again: **gauge feed times based on change in aroma and consistency -- if it takes 12 hrs to
become sour and thin, feed then! If it takes 24 hrs, feed then! Later, once you see more
predictable rise, feed at “peak” like I demonstrate in my “How To Fully Activate Your Starter”
tutorial.
FAQ3: “What ratio do I feed at?” - In the first week, you’ll want to be feeding about once daily (if
becoming runny/aromatic at 12 hrs, then feed 2X per day). The feed ratio/dilution you choose
depends on your starter’s activity. If you feed 1:1:1, and 12 hrs later your starter is uber sour and
thin, try increasing your ratio (try 1:2:2, 1:3:3, etc and see if that slows it down enough to make it
to 12 hrs). If your starter is becoming sluggish and super acidic, it’s likely because it is under-fed
and needs more food. Chronic under-feeding will cause a starter to become “malnourished” and it
will not perform as well as a starter fed properly at peak!
FAQ4: “Will my cool kitchen temps slow down the starter development?” - Yes! It can slow things
down if your temp is lower than ~77F/25C. Find a warm spot - ~80F/27C - and you will notice the
process speeds up tremendously! Try in the oven with the light on and the door cracked open (just
be sure to check the temp doesn’t get too warm!). In the microwave is another nice toasty spot.
FAQ5: “Can I use a different flour to make my starter?” - Absolutely! See my post from last week -
use white, or whole wheat, or rye, or spelt… whatever you have. White flour may slow down the
process, while all rye flour may speed it up.
FAQ6: “Can I put my starter in the fridge?” - Yes! I usually recommend to wait at least a week if
possible with a new starter, to help give your starter a proper head start. When you want to store
in the fridge for a longer period, give your starter a 1:1:1 feed, let it sit at warm room temp for 1-2
hours, then pop in the fridge for up to a few weeks!
Most important of all: You must become in tune with your starter! Learn its behavior and feed it as
🌷
it needs to be fed. You must have patience in the early days - it can take awhile to get a starter
going, but once it’s active you can keep it for years!
Notes with Timestamps for the video tutorial.
Day 1: [timestamp 1:48]
● Prep flour mix
o 350g bread flour + 150g dark rye = 500g flour total
● Stir together flour & water into a paste
o Equal weight, 1:1 (30g water + 30g flour)
● Stir paste mixture
● Transfer to fresh jar
● Notes: volume increased, caught wild yeast
● Discard all but 20g starter (throw away discard)
● Stir in fresh flour & water
o Equal weight 1:1:1 (20g starter + 20g water + 20g flour)
Day 4 morning: [timestamp 6:34]
● Notes: lots of activity, unpleasant smell
● Begin 2 feeds per day
● Discard all but 20g starter (throw away discard)
o Equal weight 1:1:1 (20g each)
Day 4 evening: [timestamp 7:45]
● Notes: lots of activity, very unpleasant smell
● Discard all but 15g (throw away discard)
● Notes: loss of all activity! Very unpleasant smell, very runny
● Notes: minimal growth, still smelly, very runny
● Notes: 20% volume increase (1.2X), smell improving, runny
● Equal weight 1:1:1 (15g each)
● Notes: 30% volume increase (1.3X), smell is more mild
● Notes: 100% volume increase (2X), smells nice, bit of sour, consistency is less runny,
stronger
● Notes: 50% volume increase (1.5X), nice mild sour smell
● Notes: 90% volume increase (1.9X), smell is very nice
● Discard all but 15g (*begin to collect and freeze discard)
● Discard cheesecloth, now use a loose-fitting lid
● Notes: 2X volume increase
● Discard all but 15g (collect and freeze discard)
● Notes: 2.5X, definite sour notes!
● Notes: 2.5X, lots of activity!
● Discard all but **8g (collect and freeze discard)
● Begin 1:2:2 feed (8g starter + 16g water + 16g flour)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X and then fell/collapsed
● Feed at 1:2:2 (8g starter + 16g water + 16g flour)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X and then fell
● Discard all but **5g (collect and freeze discard)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X & fell
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, smell is wonderful (sweet & sour)
**Flour mix change: [timestamp 19:20]
From 30% rye to 10% rye
Math: Total remaining flour weight = 155.5g
This means there is still 155.5*0.3=46.5g rye in the mix
For 10% rye, we need 46.5g rye in 465g total flour
So bring up total flour weight from 155.5g to 465g
Added in 309.5g bread flour, whisk well
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, peaked & fell
● Feed with 10% rye 1:4:4 (5g starter + 20g water + 20g flour)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, peaked & fell, stronger discard
● Begin 1:5:5 feed with 10% rye (5g starter + 25g water + 25g flour)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, wonderful activity
● Feed at 1:5:5 (5g starter + 25g water + 25g flour)
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, will now begin 3x per day feeds
● Feed 1:2:2 (8g starter + 16g water + 16g flour)
Day 14 afternoon: [timestamp 23:08]
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5X, will now begin 3x per day feeds
● Notes: starter peaked at 2.5-3X, will now begin 3x per day feeds
o ***Regularly do this 1:5:5 for the longer, 10 hour overnight feed (did an experiment
for the video with 10g + 50g + 50g but usually feed only 5g + 25g+ 25g)

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@FullProofBaking Method: Make A Sourdough Starter From Scratch

Frequently Asked Questions: pages 1-2

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

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