PSA: My sourdough starter took 15 days to actually double in size

I figured it would be ready in like 4 or 5 days like all the blogs say, but mine just sat there doing nothing until day 12. Then it finally started to puff up a bit, but it took another 3 days to actually get that bubbly, doubled look. How long did it take for your first starter to really kick off?

2 comments

2 Comments

moore.beth17h ago

You said "my first starter" and that's where I think a lot of people get tripped up. That first one is almost always slower because you're building up the yeast from scratch, not borrowing from an established culture. Your 15 days is actually pretty normal for a first attempt. The blogs that claim 4 or 5 days are usually working with starter that's already mature and just been fed, or they live in a really warm, humid climate that speeds things up. I've had starters take close to three weeks in the winter when my kitchen was cold. The real key is watching for that steady doubling, not the calendar. So don't beat yourself up about it, you're right on track.

gray87514h ago

Tbh my first starter only took 5 days in a cold kitchen so that's not how it always goes.