Sourdough isn’t just bread; it’s a living, evolving culture that connects you to history, flavour, and the joy of slow food. If you’ve ever wondered how old your You Knead Sourdough starter is, the answer is: it’s older than it looks!
Our Original Starter, Created in 2018
Back in 2018, we began the process of developing a strong, reliable, and flavour-rich sourdough culture. That same starter has been:
- Carefully fed and maintained for years
- Dried at peak activity for long-term storage
- Included in every sourdough kit we send out
When you activate your flakes at home, you're reviving a culture with over half a decade of life behind it and plenty ahead.
Your Starter Becomes Unique to You
Even though you’re starting with our 2018 culture, your sourdough starter evolves into something uniquely yours.
- Starters adapt to their local environment; your wild yeast, flour type, and water.
- As you feed it, you’ll influence its behaviour, flavour, and strength.
- After a few weeks of consistent feeding, your starter will have fully adapted to your kitchen.
Every home baker adds their own fingerprint to the dough, it’s part of the magic.
How to Keep Your Starter Thriving for Years
You can absolutely keep your starter alive for decades (just like we’ve done).
- Feed it regularly: Stick to a 1:1:1 ratio (equal weights starter, flour, water) every 24 hours if kept at room temp.
- Store it smart:
🧊 Refrigerate for breaks (feed before and after storage)
🌬️ Dry it out for long-term backup (spread on parchment and store airtight)
- Discard before feeding: This keeps the yeast colony healthy and avoids dilution.
Your starter’s lifespan is in your hands and we’re here to help you every step of the way.
Share Your Sourdough Journey!
We LOVE seeing your starters come to life.
Tag us in your bakes, share your progress, or message us if you hit a speed bump.
- 📷 Instagram: @youkneadsourdough
- 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/youkneadsourdough
- 🎥 TikTok: @youkneadsourdough
- 💬 Email: link to contact form
Whether your starter’s a week old or one year in, we want to see what you're creating!
🎉 Yours Starts Today
Our original starter was born in 2018. Yours is being revived right now and it's just the beginning of your own sourdough story.
You’re not just baking bread. You’re keeping something alive.
👇 Keep Exploring
Curious about how to store your starter long-term or what feeding ratio to use?
Need more starter flakes?