Wet Starter vs Dough Starter: What’s the Difference
If you’ve spent any time researching sourdough online, you’ve probably noticed something confusing: most tutorials, Instagram reels, and YouTube videos show a loose, bubbly, pourable wet starter. But at Crumb, we use and recommend something completely different: a dough-style starter.
Both types of starter will ferment dough and produce sourdough bread — but they behave differently, require different care, and suit different lifestyles.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two styles, and why we’re proudly team dough starter.
What Is a Wet Starter?
A wet starter (also called a liquid starter or 100% hydration starter) is:
runny and batter-like
usually fed with equal parts flour and water
often kept at room temperature
fed daily or every other day
prone to dramatic bubbling and rising
Wet starters are popular with artisan bakers who feed their starter constantly and bake very frequently. They ferment quickly, behave very energetically, and require more attention.
Pros of a Wet Starter:
Fast fermentation
Photogenic bubbling (great for social media)
Compatible with some high-hydration bakery-style recipes
Cons of a Wet Starter:
Needs frequent feeding (often daily)
Requires discarding large amounts of starter
More sensitive to temperature changes
Less convenient for home bakers
More prone to over-fermentation and collapse
For many home bakers, a wet starter becomes more of a pet than a hobby — needing daily care to keep it alive.
What Is a Dough Starter?
A dough starter (like the one in the Crumb kit) is:
firm, elastic, and dough-like
mixed into a ball rather than poured
kept in the fridge
fed weekly, not daily
extremely stable and forgiving
It’s still a live culture of wild yeast and lactobacilli — but because it’s low-hydration, it ferments more slowly and stays strong for longer.
Pros of a Dough Starter (Why We Love It):
Low maintenance — only needs feeding weekly
Lives in the fridge — no daily rituals or constant monitoring
Very resilient — can survive weeks unfed and revive perfectly
Easy to handle — no mess, no drips, no exploding jars
Consistent results — ideal for home kitchens with variable temperatures
Precise feeding — simple 200g flour + 100g water routine
No discard waste — far less flour thrown away
Cons of a Dough Starter:
Less dramatic bubbling (so it can look “quiet” to beginners)
Some online recipes based on wet starters won’t translate directly
But for almost all home bakers — especially those baking once a week — the dough starter wins on practicality.
Why Love Crumb Chooses a Dough Starter
When we created our Crumb Baker’s Dozen kit, our mission was simple:
Sourdough made simple.
A dough starter is the only style that aligns with that mission. It allows beginners — and busy home bakers — to get artisan-level sourdough without daily upkeep or complex instructions.
A dough starter:
gives you consistent rise
adapts easily to your home environment
is incredibly forgiving
avoids waste
stays strong year after year with minimal attention
It’s the closest thing to a “set-and-forget” sourdough starter you can get — without compromising on flavour, structure, or authenticity.
Does a Dough Starter Produce the Same Bread Quality?
Yes — and some bakers argue it produces better bread. Because a dough starter ferments more slowly, it tends to develop:
richer flavour
more complex acidity
better dough strength
more reliable rise during proving
predictable behaviour in all seasons
Slow fermentation = better sourdough. A dough starter naturally encourages this.
Which Starter Should You Use?
If you’re a full-time baker working with wet doughs daily, a wet starter might suit your rhythm.
But if you’re a home baker, baking:
once a week
once a fortnight
whenever inspiration strikes
with a fridge-friendly routine
…then a dough-style starter is hands-down the easiest, most reliable option.
It’s simple. It’s resilient. It’s built for real life.