Strong White Seaside Sourdough Starter

Where it all began

This is our original Strong White Seaside Starter—the culture that started Sourdough by the Sea in 2022.

We wanted to give home bakers a dependable way to begin without spending weeks creating a starter from scratch. The result is an established culture that is simple to feed, versatile enough for everyday baking and supported by clear guidance when you need it.

With regular care, the same starter can remain part of your kitchen for years.

Why choose this starter?

• Our original and bestselling sourdough culture

• Strong and dependable once active

• A good choice for first-time sourdough bakers

• Suitable for white, wholemeal and mixed-flour recipes

• Use it for bread, pizza, focaccia, baguettes, bagels and more

• Available wet or dried

• Clear starter-care guidance included

• Prepared and packed by hand in Sussex

Wet or dried?

Both options contain the same Strong White Seaside Starter culture. The difference is how it arrives.

Wet starter – 80g

Choose wet if you live in the UK and want to begin feeding your starter as soon as it arrives.

The culture is already hydrated but should still be fed and strengthened before baking. Follow the included care guide when it arrives.

Wet starter is available for UK delivery only.

Dried starter – 40g

Choose dried if you want to begin later, are buying it as a gift or need international delivery.

The dried culture requires no refrigeration before use. Wake it with flour and water, then continue feeding until it is reliably rising before baking.

During hot weather, wet starters may be supplied dried to protect the culture in transit. When temperatures exceed 24°C between May and September, all starter orders are sent in dried form.

What’s included

• 80g wet or 40g dried Strong White Seaside Starter – select your preferred format before adding it to your basket

• Starter-care postcard – includes a QR code linking to the complete waking, feeding and storage guide

• Online beginner guidance – practical help from first feed to first loaf

• Sourdough recipe collection – ideas for bread, pizza, focaccia and more

• Friendly baking support – contact us if your starter or first bake does not look right

A jar, feeding flour and bread-making ingredients are not included.

From pouch to first loaf

1. Wake or refresh

Transfer the starter to a clean jar and feed it with flour and water using the quantities in the care guide.

2. Watch for activity

Allow it to rise at room temperature. A healthy starter should become bubbly and rise predictably after feeding.

3. Bake

Use a portion of the active starter in your dough. Keep the remaining culture and feed it for the next bake.

4. Store

Once established, keep the starter in the fridge between bakes. Wake and feed it again before you next want to bake.

Sourdough works to its own rhythm. Temperature, flour and feeding routine all affect how quickly a starter becomes ready.

Ingredients, allergens and summer delivery

Ingredients: wheat flour and filtered water.

Allergen information: contains wheat and gluten. Prepared in a kitchen that also handles rye, sesame, nuts, soya and eggs and may contain traces of these allergens.

This starter is not suitable for anyone with coeliac disease or a wheat or gluten allergy. If you have another food allergy, please contact us before ordering.

The starter culture contains no animal-derived ingredients and is suitable for vegan diets.

During periods of hot weather, wet starter orders are supplied dried to reduce the risk of damage during delivery.

Bake with us

Your first loaf is only the beginning.

Follow Sourdough by the Sea for clear recipes, practical starter advice and help from other home bakers.

Share your bakes using #SourdoughByTheSea—we’d love to see what you make with the culture that started it all.