Wholemeal Rye Seaside Sourdough Starter

A starter with more depth

Our Wholemeal Rye Seaside Starter is made for bakers who enjoy darker, fuller-flavoured bread.

Rye flour creates a naturally active culture with a rich aroma and a characteristically earthy flavour. Use it for traditional rye bread, seeded loaves or mixed-flour sourdough with greater depth and character.

It arrives dried, ready to wake when the time is right.

Why choose wholemeal rye?

• Naturally active wholemeal rye culture

• Richer, more distinctive flavour

• Ideal for rye, seeded and mixed-flour breads

• Can also be used in wheat-based sourdough recipes

• Supplied dried for convenient storage and delivery

• Clear waking and feeding guidance included

• Prepared and packed by hand in Sussex

Rye starter is often thicker and more textured than a white wheat starter. This is normal and does not mean the culture is unhealthy.

Why is it supplied dried?

Your 40g starter is carefully dried so it can travel safely and wait until you are ready to begin.

It requires no refrigeration before use and is suitable for UK and international delivery. Once woken with rye flour and water, it becomes an active culture that can be fed, stored and baked with for years.

Allow several feeds for the culture to strengthen before using it in bread dough. Temperature and feeding routine will affect how quickly it becomes ready.

What’s included

• 40g dried Wholemeal Rye Seaside Starter – enough to establish and maintain your own active culture

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

• Online beginner guidance – practical help from the first feed through to baking

• Sourdough recipe collection – ideas for rye bread, mixed-flour loaves and other bakes

• Friendly baking support – contact us if your starter does not look or behave as expected

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

From pouch to first loaf

1. Wake

Mix the dried culture with wholemeal rye flour and water, following the quantities in the care guide.

2. Feed

Continue feeding at room temperature until the starter becomes bubbly and rises predictably.

Wholemeal rye absorbs more water than white flour, so the mixture may feel thick and appear more textured.

3. Bake

Use a portion of the active starter in your dough. It works well in rye bread, seeded loaves and recipes combining rye with strong white or wholemeal wheat flour.

4. Store

Keep the remaining culture in the fridge between bakes. Refresh it with flour and water before you next want to use it.

For the most consistent start, use wholemeal rye flour for the initial feeds.

Ingredients and allergens

Ingredients: wholemeal rye flour and filtered water.

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

Rye is not gluten-free. This starter is not suitable for anyone with coeliac disease or a rye, 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.

Bake with us

Your first rye loaf is only the beginning.

Follow Sourdough by the Sea for clear recipes, feeding advice and practical support from fellow home bakers.

Share your bakes using #SourdoughByTheSea—we’d love to see what you make.