Your KNEVA dry sourdough starter is alive — it's just sleeping. Dried at peak activity and packed with wild yeast and bacteria, it only needs a little warmth, water, and flour to wake back up. Follow these simple steps and you'll have a bubbly, active starter ready to bake with.
What you need
- One 10 g aluminium sachet of KNEVA dried starter (tear open only when you're ready to start)
- 20 g lukewarm water for the first mix (about 28–32°C / 82–90°F)
- 10 g unbleached flour for the wake-up feed, plus 50 g flour and 50 g water for the bake feed (all-purpose or bread flour both work)
- A clean container or jar, and a spoon — washed with soap and rinsed with hot water before you begin
Step 1: The First Hydration
Tear open one 10 g aluminium sachet and empty the entire contents into a clean container. Add 20 g lukewarm water, stir well and rest for 15 minutes.
Step 2: The Wake-Up Feed (12–24 Hours)
Add 10 g flour and mix well. Cover loosely and leave for approximately 12–24 hours.
Stir well every 6–8 hours — stirring helps the starter activate evenly and prevents mold from growing, then cover it again.
Bubbles may be very small or difficult to see. Check for bubbles before stirring, because stirring releases trapped air and makes the mixture look flatter. This is normal. At this stage bubbles are the cue — don't wait for the mix to rise like a dome.
If your kitchen is cool or heavily air-conditioned, give it longer and place the jar somewhere warm — the top of your fridge or near a warm oven (around room temperature, 24–27°C / 75–80°F).
Step 3: The Final Feed — Time to Bake
When the starter becomes visibly bubbly, add 50 g flour and 50 g water. Mix well and cover loosely.
Once it has doubled, and looks active and bubbly, your starter is ready to bake.
How long it takes. From opening the sachet to a bake-ready starter is usually 24–36 hours at typical Singapore room temperature. A cool or air-conditioned kitchen takes longer — go by the bubbles and the rise, not the clock.
No discard needed. Unlike older guides, this protocol never asks you to throw starter away during activation — everything in the jar is working. A bubbly, sour-smelling starter is healthy. Only discard and restart if you see fuzzy or coloured (pink/orange) spots.
Tips for Success
- Temperature matters. A warm environment speeds up fermentation. A cold kitchen will slow things down — just be patient and follow its rise rather than the clock.
- Use a clear jar. Being able to see the sides makes it easy to track when your starter has risen.
- Mark your jar. Place a rubber band or tape at the level of the starter after each step so you can see how much it has risen.
- Don't rush it. The starter has been dormant — let it come back to life at its own pace. Rushing with extra feedings before it's ready can dilute the yeast activity.
- Sanitize your equipment. Wash the jar, spoon, and any other equipment with soap, then rinse with hot water, so unwanted bacteria don't compete with your wild yeast.
Storing Your Starter Going Forward
Once active, you can keep your starter in the fridge and feed it once a week to maintain it (discard or use down to a tablespoon before each weekly feed). When you're ready to bake, take it out, feed it, and let it come to room temperature and double before using.
Troubleshooting
No bubbles after 24 hours
Cause: Kitchen too cool (under 24°C, common with aircon), water too cold, or jar sealed too tight.
Fix: Move the jar to the warmest spot in your home — top of the fridge, near a sunny window, or inside the oven with only the light on. Make sure the lid is loose (not screwed shut). Keep stirring every 6–8 hours and wait another 12–24 hours. Still nothing? Message us via the QR on your pouch with your batch code.
Fed it, but it never doubles
Cause: In a warm kitchen the rise-and-fall cycle is quick — it may have peaked and fallen back between checks. A cool kitchen slows it down instead.
Fix: Judge by activity, not just height: a domed, actively bubbling starter that has grown noticeably from where you marked the jar is ready. If it is still flat and quiet, move it somewhere warmer and give it more time.
Strong vinegar / acetone / alcohol smell
Cause: The lactic-acid side has run ahead of the yeast — totally fixable, not spoiled.
Fix: Feed with 50 g flour + 50 g water and keep it somewhere warmer. The smell should mellow within a day.
Liquid layer on top (hooch)
Cause: Your starter is hungry — an alcohol byproduct rising to the surface.
Fix: Pour off the brown/grey liquid (or stir it in for tangier flavour), then feed as in Step 3. It should bounce back within a feed or two.
Pink, orange, or fuzzy mould
Cause: Jar wasn't clean enough, or the lid was sealed too tight (no airflow).
Fix: Don't try to scrape it off. Discard the entire jar, sterilise a fresh one, and rehydrate fresh from your pouch following Steps 1–3 above.
Ready-to-bake test (optional)
If you want extra confidence before mixing dough, drop a small spoonful of the fed starter into water — if it floats, it's aerated and ready. Use it at its peak, when it's domed and just beginning to plateau, for the best rise and flavour in your bread.
Happy baking from the KNEVA team — we can't wait to see what you create!
