The Starter Jar

Frequently Asked — Everything you've been wondering about sourdough, answered. Q: How long does it take to create a sourdough starter? A: About 7–14 days. You'll mix flour and water daily, and within a week or two you'll have a bubbly, active starter ready to bake with. Our Starter Guide walks you through every step. Q: Do I need any special equipment to start? A: Not at all! A mason jar, a kitchen scale, flour, and water are all you need to get started. As you grow, a Dutch oven and bench scraper are helpful but not required. Q: Why does my bread turn out dense? A: The most common reasons are under-proofing, a weak starter, or not enough steam in the oven. Check that your starter doubles in size within 4–6 hours before using it, and make sure your dough passes the poke test before baking. Q: Can I use whole wheat or gluten-free flour? A: Absolutely. Whole wheat works beautifully — it actually ferments faster than white flour. Gluten-free sourdough is possible too, though the techniques differ. We have guides for both. Q: How do I store my starter when I'm not baking? A: Pop it in the fridge! A cold starter only needs feeding once a week. Just take it out 1–2 days before you plan to bake, feed it a couple of times, and it'll be ready to go. Q: What can I do with sourdough discard? A: So many things! Crackers, pancakes, pizza dough, waffles, banana bread — discard is incredibly versatile. Check out our Discard Recipes section on the blog for ideas.