You fed it, you waited, and nothing happened. A flat, silent sourdough starter is one of the most common reasons beginners give up on bread baking, and it is almost always fixable. You are not alone: Rising Trends reports roughly 250,000 to 300,000 monthly searches for sourdough starter, up about 22% on the year before (September 2026 data), and Delifrance reports that sourdough conversations are up 158% year on year.
Here are seven reasons your starter is not rising, and exactly what to do about each one.
Quick summary
- Most slow starters are too cold, underfed or too young
- A healthy starter doubles within 4 to 8 hours of feeding and smells pleasantly tangy
- It normally takes 7 to 14 days for a new starter to become reliable
7 reasons your sourdough starter is not rising
1. Your kitchen is too cold
Wild yeast and bacteria are most active at around 24 to 27 °C. In a cool kitchen, the starter simply moves slowly. Keep it somewhere warm, such as on top of the fridge, near (not on) a warm appliance, or in an oven with only the light on.
2. It is too young
Early bubbles in the first few days can be caused by other bacteria. They often disappear after a day or two, which makes you think the starter died. It has not. Keep feeding it. A new starter usually takes 7 to 14 days to become strong.
3. You are feeding it too little or too rarely
A starter needs regular food. After the first two days, discard all but 50 g and feed with 50 g flour and 50 g water once a day, or twice a day in warm weather.
4. You are using the wrong flour
Bleached or heavily refined white flour has fewer nutrients and wild microbes for the starter to feed on. Use whole wheat or rye flour for the first week, then switch to your usual bread flour if you like.
5. Your water is the problem
Heavily chlorinated water can slow the culture. If your tap water smells strongly of chlorine, use filtered water or let it stand for a while before using.
6. The container or environment is off
Use a clean glass jar with a loose lid, so gas can escape. Mark the level with a rubber band so you can see if it is rising.
7. It is hungry (hooch)
A grey or brown liquid on top, called hooch, means the starter is hungry. Stir it in or pour it off, and feed the starter more often.
Start a starter from scratch: a simple guide
- Days 1 and 2: mix 50 g whole wheat flour with 50 g water in a clean jar. Cover loosely and rest for 24 hours at room temperature.
- Day 3 onwards: discard all but 50 g of the mixture. Feed with 50 g flour and 50 g water.
- Repeat daily (twice daily in warm weather).
- When it is ready: it doubles in 4 to 8 hours after feeding, and does this reliably for three days in a row. It should smell pleasantly tangy, like yogurt or mild vinegar, and not like nail polish remover.
Signs your starter is healthy or unhealthy
Sign
What it means
Doubles in size, full of bubbles
Healthy and ready to bake with
Sour smell, grey liquid on top
Hungry. Feed more often
Smells like nail polish remover
Very hungry. Feed and stir
Pink or orange streaks, or fuzzy mould
Discard and start again for safety
Watch: the science of sourdough culture
This lesson from APCA Chef Online’s Advanced Pastry classes explains how a sourdough culture works. It is a long, in-depth session, so grab a cup of tea and enjoy.
Advanced Pastry: Sourdough Culture Theory, from APCA Chef Online.
Keep learning
The theory is just the start. Our Sourdough Culture page explains what the lesson covers and how it fits into Chef Angelo Van Toorn’s full Bread Your Way program. You may also like our article on Bread Your Way with Chef Angelo Van Toorn.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a starter to rise?
Usually 7 to 14 days for a brand new starter. An older starter that has been in the fridge may take a few feedings at room temperature to become active again.
Do I need to discard starter every day?
Discarding keeps the amount manageable and stops the mixture from becoming too acidic. You can use the discard in pancakes, crackers and flatbreads instead of throwing it away.
Is the float test reliable?
Not always. A better sign is that your starter doubles in size within a few hours after feeding and has plenty of bubbles.
Can I revive a starter that has been in the fridge for weeks?
Yes. Let it warm up, discard most of it and feed it two or three times over a day or two. As long as there is no mould, it usually comes back.
Go deeper on sourdough
Learn how a sourdough culture works, and see how it fits into APCA Chef Online’s Bread Your Way program.
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