Using an Established Sourdough Starter vs Making Sourdough Starter from Scratch

There are many recipes and methods for making a sourdough starter from scratch available online or in popular books.  Although creating a sourdough bread starter from scratch can be an interesting process, there are several advantages to using an established sourdough starter.

• It’s easier. Creating a sourdough bread starter from scratch involves a lot of effort over a 7-day period (feeding the starter each day, switching containers each day, etc.).  With an established sourdough starter, the process is more straight forward.  You simply add the sourdough starter to a container, mix it with flour and water and then feed the starter (mixing in more flour and water) each day for 1-4 days (depending on whether you are using a fresh or dried sourdough starter culture).  No need to switch containers.  Ultimately this process is also faster than creating a sourdough starter from scratch particularly if you are using a fresh sourdough starter culture.
• It’s more reliable. Using an established sourdough starter will ultimately produce more reliable results.  All of our sourdough starter cultures contain active yeast that has been perpetuated over a long period of time.  They are stable, active and resilient.
• Ensure pleasant tasting sourdough. With an established sourdough starter you can be assured that your sourdough bread and other baked goods will have a pleasant taste.  Not all wild yeast is created equal and we don’t all live somewhere with pleasant tasting sourdough yeast so capturing wild yeast where you live may not yield the desired effects.  Many people have gone through the process of creating a sourdough starter from scratch only to find it tastes and/or smells unpleasant.