Create a starter
Build a starter from flour and water
Day by day
Start the jar
Mix 50g whole wheat flour with 50g lukewarm water in a clean jar. Stir until smooth, cover loosely, and leave it at room temperature.
It may look flat and quiet. That is normal on the first day.
First refresh
Discard about half, then add 50g bread flour and 50g water. Stir and mark the jar level.
You might see a few bubbles, or nothing at all yet.
Keep feeding
Discard half again and feed 50g flour plus 50g water. Keep the jar somewhere consistently warm.
A few more bubbles and a slightly tangy smell are good signs.
Work through the quiet phase
Keep feeding once a day. If you want less waste, switch to 25g starter plus 50g flour and 50g water.
Many starters surge early and then slow down. That dip is normal.
Build consistency
Keep feeding at the same time each day. If it is warming up quickly, you can switch to every 12 hours.
It should begin rising and falling more predictably.
Bake-ready signs
Use it for bread once it reliably doubles within 4 to 6 hours after a feed and smells pleasantly tangy.
Look for steady rise, good bubbles throughout, and a repeatable rhythm after feeding.
Future visuals
Starter jar setup
Reserve space for a clean jar, flour, water, and mark-the-level photo.
Rise progress
Use this cutout for before-and-after starter rise examples across the first week.
Texture close-up
Reserve space for bubbles, surface texture, and spoon-stir consistency details.
Keep the jar warm
A quiet starter often just needs a warmer spot. Aim for a comfortably warm room, not direct heat.
Do not chase perfect speed
Some starters are ready in a week, some take two. Repeatable activity matters more than hitting a specific day.