How Do I Store My Sourdough Starter While I Travel?

You've been feeding your new sourdough starter dutifully each day, but you're about to go out of town for a week. Most beginners start to panic. "How do I keep my starter alive while I'm on vacation??" The great news is, your starter will be just fine with a little adjustment to storage. Short answer: keep it sealed in your refrigerator.

The Science (briefly)

Your sourdough starter is a living culture. This is why it requires regular feeding. You may have noticed that it goes through its food source more quickly at higher temperatures, while it slows to a creep when your kitchen is cold. This is because heat increases the metabolisms of the microbes in your starter, speeding up fermentation in warm environments. Conversely, consumption and waste slows as temperatures reduce.

By storing your starter in the refrigerator, you can make this trait work in your favor. The cold temperature of your fridge slows your starter's fermentation to nearly a standstill, keeping it in near stasis until you return and warm the culture again.

How To Do It

Before you leave, give your sourdough starter a feed. I recommend a higher ratio such as 1:3:3 for this. Let it sit at room temperature for about 2 hours to begin to digest. Seal your jar, then move it to the refrigerator. Using a sealed jar will prevent fridge odors from getting in, as well as protect the surface from drying out or encountering contamination. Do not use a permeable cover such as cloth, as it increases risk of mold.

How Long Can You Leave It?

Your sourdough starter can be safely stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. I have even seen starters stored for months without a feed bounce back. Just ensure you check it carefully before using it again.

How To Revive a Fridge-Stored Starter

If you're only gone for a few days, your starter is likely ready to bake with as soon as you return. Just give it a good feed and continue with your care as usual.

If your absence is a week or longer, your starter likely has some built up acidity and weakened.This should balance out after 1-2 regular feedings, and it will be ready to use again.

What Could Go Wrong?

There are a few things to look out for when you pull out your starter from storage. 

Hooch

With longer absences, you may find a liquid layer atop your starter. This liquid, or "hooch", is often dark in color and alarming looking. This is not dangerous: it is simply a buildup of alcohol and an indicator of a very hungry/acidic starter. Simply pour off the hooch and feed your starter 2-3x before baking, once it is rising as normal at full strength.

Dry Crust

If too much air got into your jar, you may notice a dry skin at the top. Your starter is still safe to use. Just remove and throw the skin away, and seal your jar more tightly next time you travel.

Mold Formation

Your starter should always be carefully checked for mold after a period of storage. This looks like fuzzy growth, bright colors, and a putrid odor. It is normal to observe a sharp scent when reviving a starter due to he acidity but if the odor is foul, this is an indicator of contamination. A moldy starter is hazardous and should be entirely disposed of.

A Mature Starter Keeps Best

A brand new sourdough starter requires daily scheduled feedings as the culture grows and balances. If refrigerated too soon in this process, the culture is at risk of collapse due to the imbalance in acidity.

Conversely, a mature sourdough starter is hearty enough to survive the pause in feedings and recover at its full strength.

This is one of the many benefits of choosing to begin your sourdough journey with the Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter. The culture is descended from a 175 year old heritage strain, fed twice daily to maintain strength, then dehydrated at peak activity to maximize microbial activity. These steps create the robust Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter. Not only is it beginner friendly and strong enough to bake delicious bread. The culture has the maturity and hardiness to fit your flexible schedule.

To get starter and experience the Yeast Coast Sourdough difference, visit our shop page.