1. Day 1: The Beginning of Your Starter: In a clean glass jar, combine 50 grams of unbleached flour (all-purpose or whole wheat) with 50 grams of filtered water. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula until there are no dry spots and it forms a thick paste. Scrape down the sides of the jar, cover loosely with a lid (or plastic wrap with a small vent), and leave it at room temperature (ideally 70-75 F / 21-24 C) for 24 hours. You might not see much activity yet, and that’s perfectly normal.

2. Day 2: First Observations: By day two, you might notice a few small bubbles, or perhaps nothing at all. The starter might smell slightly yeasty or like flour and water. Discard about half of the starter (around 50 grams) from the jar. Then, add 50 grams of fresh flour and 50 grams of fresh filtered water. Mix well, scrape down the sides, cover loosely, and return to room temperature for another 24 hours. The discarding step helps manage the volume and ensures the starter has enough fresh food.

3. Day 3: Signs of Life: You should start to see more consistent bubbling today, perhaps some small pockets of air throughout the mixture. The smell might become slightly more acidic or like ripe fruit. Repeat the feeding process: discard half (about 50 grams), then feed with 50 grams flour and 50 grams water. Mix, cover, and wait. This is where the magic really starts to happen!

4. Day 4: Increased Activity: Expect even more bubbles and a noticeable rise in volume after feeding. The starter might smell distinctly sour or tangy, which is a good sign. It might even double in size before falling back down. Continue with the feeding routine: discard half, feed with 50 grams flour and 50 grams water, mix, and cover.

5. Day 5-7: Reaching Peak Activity: At this stage, your starter should be consistently doubling or even tripling in size within 4-8 hours after feeding. You’ll see a web-like structure of bubbles throughout, and it will smell pleasantly sour, like yogurt or ripe fruit. When it reaches its peak, it will start to fall back down, leaving “streaks” on the side of the jar where it rose. Continue feeding daily, discarding half and then adding 50 grams flour and 50 grams water. By day 7, if your starter is consistently doubling and falling within 4-8 hours, it’s likely ready for baking!

6. Beyond Day 7: Maintaining Your Active Starter: Once your starter is consistently active and doubling, you can transition to a maintenance schedule. If you plan to bake frequently (several times a week), continue feeding it daily. If you bake less often, you can store your fed starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week. Remember to take it out of the fridge and feed it at room temperature for a few days before you plan to bake to revive its strength.