How to store sourdough starter in the fridge (and revive it)
Feed it, let it rise for an hour or two, then put it in the fridge with the lid loose. Feed it once a week. The evening before you bake, take it out and feed it — at 72°F (22°C) a 1:5:5 feed is ready in about 7½–14 hours, just in time for the morning.
Feed your starter as usual, leave it on the counter for an hour or two, then into the fridge with the lid loose.
2
Feed it once a week
Take it out, pour off any liquid, keep a spoonful, feed it, and put it back after an hour or two.
3
Revive it before baking
Take it out the evening before and feed it. After a long rest, feed it twice (1:1:1) so it is fully awake.
4
Going away?
A well-fed starter keeps two to three weeks in the fridge. For longer, a thicker (stiffer) feed lasts longer, and the app’s “I’m going away” plan tells you how.
Why
The cold slows the yeast almost to a stop, so one feed lasts a week instead of a day. Waking it up takes a feed or two at room temperature.
Questions
Can I use starter straight from the fridge?
It works in a pinch, but the rise is slower. One feed on the counter first, used at its peak, gives much better bread.
What if I forgot it for a month?
Pour off the liquid, scrape away any dry crust, and feed it two or three times over a couple of days. Only mold (fuzz, or pink, orange or red streaks) means it is gone — then throw it away, jar and all.
Can I freeze or dry a starter?
Yes — drying a thin layer and storing the flakes keeps for months. Revive the flakes with water and flour over a few days.
It remembers your starter, plans every bake around your day and reminds you at each step — no alarms at 3 am. Coming to the iPhone App Store before Christmas.
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