How to Feed A Sourdough Starter Without a Scale

A food scale is recommended for nearly all baking, for the most consistent results. This is because measurements by volume - especially dry ingredients such as flour - vary greatly depending on the measurement technique.

Why does consistency matter? So much of sourdough baking is learning to read your starter and dough's signals: what it looks like when your starter is at peak, when it is hungry, how your dough feels when gluten is developed, what ideal fermentation looks like, and evaluating your crumb to make adjustments. Using precise measurements (weight) creates a constant, so you are able to compare your results over time and make changes to improve your bread. 

Can You Feed a Sourdough Starter Using Cups and Tablespoons?

Yes, you can. We highly recommend using a scale, but you can measure by volume. Just keep in mind that a cup of water weighs around 1.5x as much as a cup of flour. 

How Do You Rehydrate a Sourdough Starter Using Cups?

Day One: Wake-Up Call

Morning: Hydrate
Start by mixing your entire packet of Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ with 3tbsp of warm, filtered water in a clean glass jar. The water should be around 85F, not hot.
Stir vigorously for 30 seconds. Cover the jar loosely with a lid (glass or plastic are great) or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Add 3tbsp flour (We recommend bread flour, but unbleached all-purpose works well too). Mix until you have a smooth paste. Cover again and let it rest for approximately 12 hours.

Evening: First meal
Add 3tbsp flour and 2tbsp warm water, mixing until you have a smooth paste. Cover again and let it rest for approximately 12 hours.

Day Two: Feed & Build

Morning Feed
Discard all but 1tbsp of the mixture. (Yes, discard is part of the process to keep your starter healthy. See our notes below. The discard will be reduced when you transition to the maintenance phase with your starter)
To the remaining 1tbsp of starter, add 1tbsp warm water and 1.5tbsp flour, and stir thoroughly.
Mark the level with a rubber band or marker, cover loosely, and let it rest for about 12 hours.

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Day Three: Strength Training

Morning Feed:
Continue the same routine, with a slightly larger feed:

1. Retain 1tbsp starter, discard the rest
2. Add 2tbsp warm water + 3tbsp flour
3. Mix well, mark the level, cover loosely, and rest 12 hours between feedings. 

Evening Feed:

Let's stop and assess our starter. Do you feel like it's:

• Bubbly?
• Doubled in size and starting to recede?
• Tangy, yeasty aroma?

If the answer is no, continue to repeat the day three feedings (1:2:3) until your starter doubles in size before its next feed. If your kitchen is colder, you may require an extra day or two.
If the answer is yes, we are ready to prepare our starter to bake our first loaf!

 

How Do You Feed a Sourdough Starter Using Cups?

You can feed your sourdough starter without a food scale. Once every 24 hours:

1. Retain 1tbsp starter, discard the rest
2. Add 2tbsp warm water + 3tbsp flour
3. Mix well, mark the level, cover loosely, and rest until its next feed.

Repeat these steps around the same time each day to maintain your starter. You should observe it rising over six-eight hours and beginning to recede. We like to feed our starter in the evenings, so it's ready to bake in the morning.