Making a Sourdough Starter From Scratch

On Feb 28, 2018, • Updated Aug 09, 2025

4.63 from 40 votes

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Making a sourdough starter from scratch can feel intimidating, but the pineapple juice method takes away some of the uncertainty. By using pineapple juice for the first few days instead of water, you create a slightly acidic environment that helps the good yeast and bacteria thrive while discouraging the unwanted ones.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire process, from mixing the very first jar on Day 1 to having a bubbly, active starter ready for bread baking. It’s not an overnight project. A strong starter takes time, daily attention, and a little patience, but the payoff is worth it.

Glass jar of sourdough starter beside sliced bread and blue cloth. — Sourdough Starter

Once your starter is established, you’ll have the foundation for homemade sourdough bread, sourdough pancakes, pizza dough, and more, all from a living culture you built yourself.

Once you understand the science behind it, the pineapple juice method makes a lot of sense. Here’s why it works so well for starting a healthy sourdough culture from day one.

Here is Why The Pineapple Juice Method Works

Beginner-friendly and predictable: With clear day-by-day instructions, you’ll know exactly when to switch from juice to water, when to start discarding, and what to look for at each stage.

Creates the right environment from the start: Pineapple juice lowers the pH in those crucial first days, making it harder for unwanted bacteria to take over while giving the good yeast a head start.

Encourages early yeast activity: Many bakers see bubbles and signs of life sooner with this method compared to starting with water alone. It doesn’t guarantee instant results, but it often shortens the waiting game.

Helps avoid unpleasant odors: New starters made with plain water can sometimes smell a little “off” in the early stages. The pineapple juice method helps prevent that sour, cheesy smell that can make you wonder if something’s gone wrong.

Four glass jars showing sourdough starter progress from mixture to bubbly. — making a sourdough starter

Tips for success

Be patient: Every kitchen is different. Some starters are ready in a week, while others take two or even three weeks to become strong and reliable.

Switch to water on Day 4: Pineapple juice is only for the first three days. After that, water is all your starter needs, extra acidity can harm the yeast once it’s established.

Use unbleached flour: Bleached flour is treated with chemicals that can slow yeast growth. Whole grain flour in the first couple of days can give your starter a boost, but white flour works too.

Watch the temperature: Try to keep the starter stored between 70–75°F. Too warm can encourage unwanted bacteria; too cool can slow yeast activity.

Choose non-chlorinated water: Chlorine can harm the wild yeast and bacteria in your starter, especially in the early days.

Don’t seal the jar tightly: Your starter gives off gas as it ferments. Keep the lid loose or use a breathable cover like a paper towel or coffee filter to let gases escape while keeping out dust and insects.

Feed at consistent times: Try to feed your starter around the same time each day so it develops a predictable rhythm.

Use a clear container: Seeing the sides of the jar makes it easier to track bubbles, rise, and fall, all signs of activity.

Mark the starting level: Use a rubber band or piece of tape on the jar to mark the height right after feeding. This makes it easy to see when it has doubled.

Expect some variation: Don’t panic if your starter smells different from one day to the next. Fresh, fruity, tangy, or even a bit yeasty are all normal during early fermentation.

Questions About Building a Sourdough Starter

Why should you discard part of your starter?

If you didn’t remove some before feeding, your starter would grow exponentially. A 1:1:1 feeding means you’re doubling the total amount every time, so in just a few days, you’d have jars of starter taking over your kitchen and you’d be using huge amounts of flour to keep it going. Discarding keeps the quantity manageable

What if I miss a feeding?

Your starter may look sluggish, but it’s rarely ruined. Just resume your regular schedule and it should bounce back.

My starter smells weird, is that normal?

New starters can have different smells during the first week. Sharp, tangy, fruity, or yeasty smells are normal. A strong rotten odor is a sign something’s wrong and you may want to start over.

What if I see liquid (hooch) on top?

That’s a sign your starter is hungry. You can stir the hooch back in or pour it off before feeding. I usually recommend pouring it off because mixing it in can make your starter more acidic, which can weaken it over time.

When can I use my sourdough starter to make bread?

You can use your starter once it reliably doubles in size within 4–6 hours of feeding and shows lots of bubbles throughout. For some kitchens, that’s around Day 7; for others, it might take 1–2 more weeks.

What is the best stage to use your starter in a recipe?

Most recipes work best when your starter is at its peak, after it has doubled (or tripled) in size and is full of bubbles but before it starts to collapse. This is when the yeast is at its most active and ready to give your dough the best rise.

How do I use my starter if I store it in the refrigerator?

Take it out 1–3 days before you plan to bake and feed it twice a day until it’s bubbling and doubling reliably. Then use the amount your recipe calls for, and feed the remaining starter as usual before returning it to the fridge.

Four views of a bubbly, thick sourdough starter in labeled glass jar. — making a sourdough starter

Building a Sourdough Starter From Scratch

Starting a sourdough starter with pineapple juice is a simple way to give the culture the best possible beginning. Once it’s active and doubling reliably, you’ll have a living ingredient you can use for sourdough pizza dough, bread, pancakes, and more, all from a starter you built yourself.

If yours takes a little longer to mature, don’t be discouraged. Every kitchen is different, and a slower start doesn’t mean it won’t become strong and dependable. Keep feeding it, watch for those signs of growth, and before long, you’ll be baking with a starter that’s truly your own.

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4.63 from 40 votes

Making a Sourdough Starter with Pineapple Juice

By Dahn Boquist

A sourdough starter is the first step to making authentic sourdough bread. Creating your own sourdough starter is easy, and with proper care, it can last for years. This recipe uses pineapple juice to help give the initial growth of wild yeast a headstart.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: cup of starter

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Ingredients

▢ all-purpose flour, see notes
▢ Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
▢ Water, non-chlorinated

Instructions

Day 1: Start Your Starter

In a small jar or bowl, mix 2 tablespoons flour (15 grams) and 2 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice (30 grams). This is the beginning of your starter.
Stir 2–3 times during the day to mix in air. Keep it loosely covered with a paper towel or coffee filter to allow airflow while keeping out dust and insects.

Day 2: First Feeding

Add 2 tablespoons flour (15 grams) and 2 tablespoons unsweetened pineapple juice (30 grams) to the starter you made on Day 1.
Stir well to combine, then stir 2–3 times during the day to keep it aerated. Cover loosely as before. You won’t see any activity yet, the yeast is still getting established.

Day 3: Second Feeding

Add ¼ cup flour (30 grams) and ¼ cup unsweetened pineapple juice (60 grams) to the existing starter and stir well.
You may start to notice bubbles. If not, don’t worry, some starters take longer. There’s no need to discard any starter yet, just feed it, stir it, and wait.

Day 4: Begin Discard and Regular Feeding

Starting today, switch from pineapple juice to water. Keep only ¼ cup (about 60 grams) of your starter and discard the rest.
Add ¼ cup water (60 grams) and ½ cup flour (60 grams) to the remaining starter and stir well. Transfer the starter to a quart-size jar or larger so it has plenty of room to rise without overflowing.

Day 5: Continue Feeding

Repeat the same feeding process as Day 4. If your starter doubles in size in less than 12 hours, start feeding it twice per day. If it’s still slow, keep feeding once a day. Some starters just need more time to get going.

Day 6: Maintain the Schedule

Continue discarding down to ¼ cup (60 grams) of starter before each feeding, then add ¼ cup water (60 grams) and ½ cup flour (60 grams).
Feed once or twice a day depending on how active your starter is. Look for a consistent rise and fall between feedings.

Day 7: Ready to Use (or Keep Feeding if Needed)

If your starter is reliably doubling in size between feedings, it’s ready to use in baking. Remove the amount needed for your recipe, then feed what remains at a 1:1:1 ratio by weight. For example, 20 grams starter, 20 grams water, 20 grams flour.
If your starter still isn’t doubling, keep feeding daily until it’s strong and active, which can sometimes take another week or two.

Storing and using your sourdough starter:

Room temperature maintenance: If you plan to bake often, you can keep your starter at room temperature. Feed it once or twice a day (following the Day 4 feeding amounts) depending on how quickly it rises and falls between feedings.
If you won’t be baking for a while, store your starter in the refrigerator and feed it once a week using a 1:1:1 ratio by weight (equal parts starter, water, and flour). As an example, you might keep about ¼ cup starter (around 60 grams), then feed it with ¼ cup water (60 grams) and ½ cup flour (60 grams).
The flour amount looks larger because flour is lighter than water; ½ cup flour weighs about the same as ¼ cup water. The exact amount isn’t critical. Just keep the ratio the same.
When you’re ready to bake again, take the starter out of the fridge 1–3 days before you need it and feed it twice a day until it’s fully active. Keep the lid loose so gases can escape.

Notes

Starter timing: It can take longer than 7 days for a starter to be ready for baking. If yours is still slow, keep following the Day 4 feeding routine until it’s reliably doubling in size.

Dormant stage: Don’t discard your starter if it suddenly stops showing activity after bubbling well for a few days. If it happens, stop feeding for 24–48 hours and leave it loosely covered at room temperature. Then resume your regular feeding schedule. It may take a couple of feedings before it perks up again.

Flour choice: For the first two days, using a whole grain flour (such as whole wheat or rye) can give your starter an extra boost because it contains more nutrients and naturally occurring microorganisms than white flour. White flour works too, but it may take longer to see activity. Always use unbleached flour, bleaching agents can slow yeast growth.

Water:Use non-chlorinated water if possible. Chlorine can harm the wild yeast and bacteria you want in your starter, especially when it’s young and still getting established.

Temperature: Keep your starter in a warm spot, ideally between 70–75°F. Temperatures above 78°F can encourage unwanted bacteria, while cooler conditions can slow yeast activity and delay readiness.

Pineapple juice:Use pineapple juice only for the first three days. Do not continue feeding it with pineapple juice after that point. Once your starter is established, the extra acidity can harm the yeast.

Flavor development: The longer you maintain your starter, the more flavor it will develop. After a month or two, you’ll notice a richer, more complex taste in your baked goods.

Measurement note: A 1:1:1 feeding ratio means equal weights of starter, water, and flour. For volume measurements, this will look uneven because water is heavier than flour. For example, ¼ cup water weighs about the same as ½ cup flour.