How-To: DIY Sourdough Starter

Many articles and books describe how to make a homegrown wild yeast starter. Creating a wild culture from scratch can be a risky proposition. While it may be a satisfying concept, it can take a week or two (or forever) to get the yeasts started and bubbly. Worse yet, there is a chance that you will culture something that doesn't taste good at all.

(It’s unlikely that you're going to produce something harmful, but you might produce something stinky that won't raise bread.)

The better method is to use your favorite local live beer or ale from your neighborhood brewery. The brewers have already cultivated the yeasts that you need, and you can be sure that if you like the beer or ale, you'll love the bread that gets risen with the same yeasts. Be sure that your beer or ale is unpasteurized, and it's preferable that it is unfiltered. If you don't live near a brewery you may be able to find a good bottled Belgian farmhouse ale, such as Saison Dupont.

MAKING ALE STARTER FOR HOME USE
 

To 200 grams of beer or ale, add 200 grams of all-purpose Flour. Keep the mixture at room temperature (65° to 80°F) for 24 hours. A quart-size container is the perfect size, with plenty of space for bubbling. If you want to use a glass jar, leave the lid loose so that the gasses from the fermentation can escape.

DAYS 2–7:
 

Each day, put 200 grams of water and 200 grams of flour in a clean quart-size container and mix well. Add 40 grams of your previous day's mixture; mix or shake well. Keep the container at room temperature (65° to 80°F) for 24 hours.

By day 7, your starter will have developed a nice acidity and should be very bubbly. It’s ready for baking! Keep feeding it until it grows to the quantity of starter that you need for your recipe, plus an extra 25 percent for saving

Good luck, and enjoy!

• Editor’s note: Sourdough starters are available to be purchased online; just Google "sourdough starters for sale" to find options. If you’re lucky, you know someone with a starter who is willing to share (an ounce or two is all you need). The Bobolink Belgian ale starter is available for purchase on the website, cowsoutside.com