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Sourdough Starter Blog
Notes from the kitchen: feeding schedules, troubleshooting a starter that won't rise, and what the smells mean.
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7 min
Sourdough starter in a cold kitchen: a winter routine
Winter slows a starter down. Where to find a warm spot, how to feed it when the kitchen is chilly, why a thermometer helps, and how to tell a slow starter from a stalled one.
temperature · winter · feeding
7 min
Liquid on top of your sourdough starter (hooch): what it means and what to do
That clear, gray or black liquid on your starter is called hooch. Why it forms, which colors are normal, whether to pour it off or stir it in, and when to throw a starter out.
hooch · troubleshooting · feeding
6 min
How to store a sourdough starter in the fridge, and what to do when you go away
Feed it, give it some time on the counter, then chill it. How long a fridge starter can go unfed, what to do for short trips and long breaks, which backups the sources trust, and how to bring it back.
fridge · storage · vacation
8 min
How to make a sourdough starter from scratch, day by day
A day-by-day plan for making a sourdough starter with just flour and water: what to mix, when to discard and feed, the quiet phase that can follow the first bubbles, and how to tell it's ready to bake.
new-starter · from-scratch · schedule
6 min
Why is my sourdough starter not rising? Causes and fixes
A cold kitchen, a young starter, a hungry one, a thin mix or a peak you missed: how to work out why your sourdough starter isn't rising, how to fix it, and when to start over.
troubleshooting · rising · temperature
6 min
The best sourdough starter apps in 2026, compared honestly
Six apps that help you keep a sourdough starter alive: what each one does well, what it costs, and whether it runs on Android. Prices checked on October 1, 2026.
apps · comparison · feeding
5 min
How often to feed a sourdough starter, on the counter and in the fridge
Once a day on the counter, once a week in the fridge, and how to wake a fridge starter up before you bake. Plus feeding ratios, peak timing and why you discard.
feeding · fridge · schedule
5 min
Is my sourdough starter dead? How to tell, and how to bring it back
Liquid on top, a flat jar, a sharp smell: most neglected starters are only asleep. Here's how to tell a hungry starter from one you should throw out, and how to revive it.
troubleshooting · safety · revival
4 min
How to revive a dried sourdough starter
Rehydrate the flakes, feed without discarding until it bubbles, then switch to normal feedings. A step-by-step guide to bringing dried sourdough starter back, and how to tell when it's ready to bake.
revival · dried-starter · troubleshooting
4 min
What your sourdough starter's smell is telling you
Yeasty, sour, boozy, nail-polish remover or rotten: what each sourdough starter smell usually means, which ones just mean it's hungry, and which one means throw it out.
troubleshooting · smells · safety