Sourdough Starter Types
The 5 starter types most home bakers maintain. Each has distinct flavor, activity, and ideal-use patterns. Feed calculator below for any starter type.
Feed calculator
- Keep (mature starter)
- 27.3 g
- Add flour
- 136.4 g
- Add water
- 136.4 g
- Discard
- 22.7 g
- Total after feed
- 300 g
5 starter types
Related references on this site
- All 12 hydration levels — match starter hydration to dough hydration
- All 15 flour types — starters built on different flours have different flavor
- All 25 recipes — each recipe shows recommended starter and levain build
- Temperature affects starter activity — warmer kitchen = faster peak; cold retard = slower
- Guide: starter discount math — subtracting levain flour + water from the final-dough math
- Levain build calculator — preferment built off your starter for individual bakes
- Autolyse strategy — 30-60 min flour + water rest before adding starter