How To: Converting SD to YW
NOTE: This is a work in progress. Comment below and I will edit and update as needed. My goal is to have reliable, easy to follow steps in one place.
This has been covered many times and in many forms but I wanted to get it down really simple so it's easy to find / understand. This post also serves to continue another one [1] which had become spectacularly off-topic ;-)
To convert your sourdough starter into yeast water, simply do the following:
- Take small amount of active / ripe / peaking sourdough starter—perhaps a teaspoon or 5-10g
- Place the small amount of starter in 300-500 ml of water, 25°-30° C should be fine.
- Stir / shake / otherwise mix up. Get lots of oxygen mixed in.
- After several hours (either side of 8 hours depending on your temp), remove 2-3 tablespoons (15-45 ml) of the water. Don't include any of the leftover flour / SD starter.
- Place the water in a new 750-1000ml container, and fill with water, about 80% full.
- Add a teaspoon of sugar.
- Stir / shake / otherwise mix up. Get lots of oxygen mixed in.
- Keep at 25°-30° C. (You may want to "proof" your YW after a 5-7 days by mixing some with flour to see if it bubbles/rises after several hours. If it doesn't, start over!)
- Afterward, repeat the stir / shake at least once daily.
- Feed it with a teaspoon of sugar once a week or after removing YW to make bread.
The water can be used in recipes calling for YW, which can be found on this site as well as elsewhere on the web. Thanks especially to Ron at this post [2] for the ideas, and Janet [3]for inspiration.