Organic Sourdough starter
Freeze-Dried Organic Sourdough Starter — “Ms. White” | 10g
Bring a little of our kitchen into yours! Our organic sourdough starter comes from our own lovingly maintained “Ms. White,” freeze dried and packaged so you can begin your own sourdough baking tradition.
Each 10g pouch is a starting point for homemade loaves, pizza dough, pancakes, and more. Rehydrate and feed your starter before baking, then continue caring for it to keep the homemade goodness going batch after batch.
Whether you’re baking your first loaf or giving a thoughtful gift to the bread lover in your life, Ms. White is ready for a fresh start in your kitchen.
Please note: This starter requires reactivation and regular feedings before use; it is not an instant bread mix.
Starter rehydration and care
DEER VALLEY APIARY
Bringing “Ms. White” to Life
Freeze-Dried Organic Sourdough Starter • 10g
A little flour, water, and patience will help your starter settle into its new home!
What you’ll need
● Your 10g pouch of starter
● Unbleached all-purpose or bread flour; use organic flour to continue feeding with organic ingredients
● Drinking water, preferably filtered or spring water
● A clean pint-size glass jar, spoon, and kitchen scale
● A rubber band or dry erase marker to mark the starter’s height
Use grams for accuracy. Equal weights of flour and water are not equal cup measurements.
1. Rehydrate and feed
Mix the entire 10g pouch with 20g lukewarm water. Let it soften, stirring occasionally, until mostly dissolved. Then stir in 10g flour.
Cover with a loosely fitted lid that allows gas to escape. Keep in a warm spot around 75–80°F, away from direct sunlight and hot appliances. Rest for approximately 24 hours. Small bubbles may appear before you see any rise.
2. Give it another feeding
Once you see bubbles, add 20g water and 20g flour, keeping all the starter. Mix, cover, and mark its height.
Allow 12–24 hours for more bubbles and some expansion. If the first mixture hasn’t bubbled yet, give it another 12–24 hours in a consistently warm spot before feeding again.
3. Build its strength
Once it is bubbling and beginning to rise, keep 10g starter and remove the rest. Feed the retained starter with 20g water and 20g flour.
Repeat approximately every 24 hours while activity is slow. Once it rises and falls sooner, feed about every 12 hours. Mark the starting height after each feeding.
4. Know when it’s ready
Your starter is ready for bread when it reliably doubles within approximately 6–8 hours after feeding, with plenty of bubbles, for two consecutive feedings.
Revival takes several days and can take longer in a cool kitchen. Follow its activity rather than a fixed baking date.
Everyday care
Use a 1:2:2 feeding ratio by weight: for example, 10g starter + 20g water + 20g flour.
● On the counter: Feed daily, or twice daily if it rises and falls quickly.
● In the refrigerator: Once reliably active, feed it, leave at room temperature for 1–2 hours, then refrigerate with a lid. Feed approximately once a week.
● Before baking: Bring refrigerated starter out and give it room-temperature feedings until it doubles reliably again. Use near its highest rise.
Always save some starter to feed for your next bake!
Make enough for your recipe
For a recipe needing 100g starter, combine 25g active starter + 50g water + 50g flour. Once risen, use 100g and save the remaining 25g to feed for the next bake!
Helpful reminders
A tangy or yeasty smell is normal. An alcoholic smell or grayish liquid on an established starter often means it needs feeding. If you see fuzzy mold or pink/orange discoloration, discard the entire starter and start again.
Use clean utensils, leave plenty of room for expansion, and never taste raw starter. Bake discard thoroughly in recipes.
Keep unused dry starter sealed, cool, and dry until ready to activate.
Happy baking from Deer Valley Apiary!