Beer Sourdough Starter

Starting a sourdough culture from scratch usually takes patience, luck, and a lot of flour down the drain.

This shortcut uses flat beer to jumpstart the process.

The wild yeast and bacteria already present in beer give your starter a head start, cutting down on the guesswork and failed attempts that frustrate most beginners.

Just mix flat beer with flour, leave it on your counter, and stir three times a day. Within 5 to 10 days, the mixture separates into a thick, creamy layer on the bottom and a thin liquid on top, and that’s your signal it’s alive and ready to bake with.

Kitchen Tips

• Use flat beer, not fresh. Pour it out the night before and let all the carbonation escape. You want the yeast, not the fizz.
• Stir three times a day without fail. This introduces oxygen that the wild yeast needs to multiply and keeps mold from forming on the surface.
• Keep it at room temperature, not in the fridge. The yeast needs warmth to get active.
• Once it’s ready, feed it regularly with equal parts flour and water to keep it going, or store it in the fridge and feed it weekly.