Have you considered researching the different types of sourdough starter while on your sourdough journey? There are over 14 different varieties of sourdough starters including liquid sourdough starter, fermented fruit starter and amish friendship bread.
By changing ratios and techniques to create a starter, the results will vary (and may even surprise you!). Make these changes by changing the type of flour, how much water is used and adding other simple ingredients to create different types of sourdough starter.
It can be fun to start with a regular starter before introducing different starters. These different types of sourdough starters can be made in a small amount, shared with others or made into delicious breads and desserts.
Traditional sourdough starter
A traditional sourdough starter starts by the combination of flour and water. When mixed together, the flour feeds on the wild yeast found in the air and on the grains.
A sourdough starter is maintained by a specific ratio of flour and water in order to feed it and give rise to baked goods when used in a recipe. Regular hydration of a sourdough starter is 100%.
This means it is maintained by feeding equal parts flour and water (1:1 ratio). For simplicity sake, this would be feeding 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water.
Making your own sourdough starter from scratch, can take 7-10 days to establish. The starter requires regular feedings of water and flour to encourage fermentation.
Flour is discarded (and used within other recipes) to maintain alkalinity. Use any flour types to feed it once established- whole wheat flour, all purpose flour (aka white flour), bread flour, etc.
If you are interested in different sourdough starters, consider starting with a smaller sourdough starter. This way, you are not investing too much time (or money) into developing it. Who knows, you might find the next best thing in the sourdough world!
Rye sourdough starter
Number one on our list of different types of sourdough starters includes a rye sourdough starter. A rye sourdough starter starts out like many other sourdough starters.
By combining whole rye flour and water together, fermentation occurs as the mixture sits. To convert a sourdough starter over to a rye sourdough starter, continue feeding only with rye flour or whole-rye flour.
Rye flour is known for its earthy flavor, course texture. Rye bread is known to be much heavier than traditional sourdough bread.
Did you know – a popular type of bread, called a pumpernickel bread loaf, is traditionally made with sourdough starter and rye flour? Spices like coriander or fennel give way to the traditional seeded rye bread flavor.
Buckwheat sourdough starter
Buckwheat is a wheat flour alternative. Made from a flowering seed buckwheat is related to the rhubarb family. For those who are gluten free, buckwheat can be a good gluten free sourdough starter alternative.
Buckwheat sourdough starter is made from ground buckwheat (buckwheat flour) and water. Buckwheat sourdough starter takes 10-14 days to establish.
It is maintained in the same way a traditional sourdough starter is through regular feedings and then discarding. To change a traditional sourdough starter over to a buckwheat flour, feed exclusively with buckwheat flour.
Gluten free sourdough starter
Though I was gluten free for 14 years, I never made a gluten free sourdough starter. A gluten free sourdough starter is exactly as it sounds. It is made from a singular gluten free flour or a combination.
Gluten free sourdough starters come together like a traditional starter. It can take around 7-10 days to establish and is maintained with regular feedings/discarding.
It is recommended to start fresh with a new starter than attempt to convert a traditional starter to a gluten free starter. This is to ensure the starter is 100% gluten free.
Additionally, gluten free sourdough recipes are very similar to regular sourdough recipes. Because of this, the recipes may rely on other gluten free flour with the addition of xanthan gum to help mimic the elasticity found in activated flour (IE gluten).
Potato flake starter
A potato flake starter is made from water, commercial dry yeast, sugar and potato flakes. It takes at least 5 days to establish a potato flake starter from scratch.
Similar to a liquid sourdough starter or fermented fruit starter, the water feeds on the sugar within the potato flakes. Once the commercial yeast kicks off the starter, wild yeast takes over and is maintained by regular feedings of water, sugar and potato flakes.
Potato flake starter is another gluten free sourdough starter option as potato flakes are naturally gluten free. If making a potato flake starter from scratch, consider a brand like Bobs Red Mill which does not contain preservatives or dried milk.
It is possible to convert a sourdough starter to a potato flake sourdough starter. There is some fine tuning and chemistry involved, but it essentially comes down to reducing the liquid and changing over feeding flour to potato flakes.
Amish friendship bread
Amish friendship bread is a popular quick bread starter. It is very similar starter to sourdough starter, though it relies on sweeter and commercial baker’s yeast to begin!
Basic Amish friendship bread starter is made from flour, instant yeast, milk, sugar and water. This is a popular recipe with home bakers as it is easy to maintain and is shared easily amongst others.
By mixing the ingredients together, the mixture is fed one time. The active dry yeast is originally fed by flour, sugar and milk, before it is then fed by wild yeast. The mixture is finally maintained with flour.
It takes 10 days to establish an Amish friendship bread starter. The main difference between Amish friendship bread and sourdough bread is the process to begin.
The Amish friendship bread jump starts the process with active commercial yeast where sourdough bread starts with flour and water only – relying on wild yeast found in the air and on the flour to activate the fermentation process.
Another difference is the Amish friendship bread is fed with sugar, milk and water on day 5 rather than just flour and water like a traditional sourdough starter. Amish friendship bread is often used to make quick breads and like sourdough starter, is easily shared with others!
Chocolate sourdough starter
Silly as it may sound, you can make chocolate sourdough starter to create a delicious loaf of sourdough bread. Made with flour, water, sugar and chocolate powder, this sourdough starter is similar to the San Francisco style starter (of flour and water).
It is easiest to transition over a traditional sourdough starter than begin one from scratch, though both methods exist. To transition over a traditional sourdough starter to a chocolate sourdough starter – feed with cocoa powder and flour instead of exclusively flour.
Why make a chocolate sourdough starter? For fun! And to make a rich sourdough starter base for any recipe. This is one of the different types of sourdough starter you will not want to miss.
Liquid starter (5:1 ratio)
Similar to a potato flake starter and whey starter, a liquid sourdough starter uses the liquid to make baked goods rise.
Also similar to a sourdough starter, a liquid starter requires wild yeast to grow. The key difference between a liquid sourdough starter and a traditional sourdough starter is how much liquid is used to maintain the starter.
A liquid starter is maintained by a 5:1 ratio. Five times the amount of water is used to flour, equaling 500% hydration. For simplicities sake, this could be 500 g water to 100 g flour per feeding.
Some people who do not measure the amount of flour and liquid ratios when feeding their starter may lean more on the liquid starter side.
Stiff starter (2:1 Ratio)
A stiff starter is another variation of the traditional sourdough starter. The main difference is the amount of flour used to create and maintain a sourdough starter.
The typical ration is 2:1. This is two parts flour to one part water.
For simplicity sake, feeding a sourdough starter 100 grams of flour and 50 grams of water (150g total). And if you had 50 g starter to begin, this would give you 200g of a stiff sourdough starter.
Some people may already feed their traditional sourdough starter like this when not measuring ratios with a kitchen scale. They may also use this process to kickstart their sourdough starter fermentation by providing it more yeast to feed on.
When feeding 2:1 or all flour, it is called ‘dry feeding’. Dry feeding sourdough is an easy process where more flour is used than water to maintain the sourdough starter.
Pasta madre or lievtro madre
Another version of a stiff starter is pasta madre or lievtro madre. Similar to a traditional sourdough starter, the recipe is maintained with flour and water only.
However, the difference is how the starter is created. Lievtro madre uses the addition of honey when beginning the sourdough starter. The honey is used to kickstart the fermentation process. Honey is used exclusively on day one of beginning the sourdough starter, only.
Due to a low hydration level, a pasta madre starter will take 12-14 days to produce a bubbly starter. When mixed together, it is stiff and forms a pancake or dough like consistency.
The ratio for feeding this type of starter is 2:1. For simplicity sake, it would be 100 grams of water to 50 grams of water.
Pasta madre can be used infall sourdough recipes. Due to the low hydration level, it will require more liquid than a traditional sourdough starter.
Whey or yogurt starter
When thinking of the traditional sourdough starter, ‘whey starter’ or ‘yogurt starter’ are a bit different. They are not maintained in the same way another starter is (with regular feedings). Instead, it is a liquid strained off of yogurt or cheese.
Whey starter is often used in cultured or fermented vegetables. It is essentially the liquid found when you strain yogurt or cheese.
To add it to sourdough bread, use the whey in replacement of water. Not only does it add protein to the bread, but extra gut healthy benefits from the lacto acid bacteria.
You can even feed your sourdough starter with whey if you want!
Poolish
Poolish is also known as pre-ferment. It made from flour, water and commercial yeast with a 1:1 ratio of flour to water.
The poolish starter takes 12 hours and is essentially proofed yeast dough which is then incorporated into a recipe similar to sourdough.
When thinking of health benefits, it does not have the same fermentation benefits of sourdough as the wild yeast cultures are not prominent. However, it will leave a final baked good with a less pronounced sour flavor than its sourdough starter counterpart.
Biga
Biga is a low hydration preferment. It is made with flour, commercial yeast and water. The ratio is 50% hydration. For simplicity sake, it is 50 grams of water to 100 grams of flour.
Biga is made in 24 hours and can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It is used like sourdough discard in recipes.
Fermented Fruit Water (AKA yeast water)
The final contender on our different types of sourdough starter list is yeast water aka fermented fruit water. Fermented fruit water is another way to make baked goods rise without the use of commercial yeast.
By allowing raisins or other fruit like dried fig, dates, dried cherries or apple skins soak in water, they will start to ferment. The wild yeast will eat the sugar from the fruit and begin to ferment.
Wild yeast is found within the liquid of the fruit water. The process to make fermented fruit water is 4-6 days.
To make a fermented fruit starter, combine dried fruit and water. Shake the two in a container or bottle daily. On the 4th day, some of the fruit should float to the top and the water should become bubbly.
Use fermented fruit water in recipes relying on sourdough. However, instead of using sourdough discard, replace the liquid in a recipe with the fermented fruit water.
Have you tried any other methods of fermenting flour or sourdough starter? We have played around with hydration and different flours, but other starters like the fermented fruit water are next up on our list! Let us know your experiences with different types of sourdough starter in the comments below.
