Sourdough Day 13: Meet Willy AND Nilly — We Split the Starter!

Sourdough Day 13 — and before you say anything, yes, I know 13 is supposed to be unlucky. But I am wearing my lucky St. Patrick’s Day shirt, so we are going to be just fine. Today is a big day in the Sourdough Journey because after some measurement mishaps yesterday, I took things back to basics and made a decision I have been thinking about for a while. Willynilly is no more — well, not exactly. Meet Willy AND Nilly. We split the starter into two, and the Sourdough Journey just got twice as interesting.

Here is what happened: yesterday’s measurements got a little out of hand, and rather than keep pushing forward on shaky ground, I decided to step back, reset, and do things right. I took the original starter back down to 50 grams and started fresh with a 1:3:3 ratio — that means 50 grams of starter, 150 grams of flour, and 150 grams of filtered water. A little help from ChatGPT confirmed this was the right move, and I am not ashamed to admit it. We use the tools we have!

The bigger news is the split. I now have two separate jars — Willy and Nilly. Willy is the whole wheat starter, which I will keep feeding whole wheat flour to keep things Mediterranean diet friendly for Jason. Nilly is the regular starter, fed with all purpose unbleached flour. Keeping them separate means I do not have to think too hard about which is which when it comes time to bake, and it opens up more options down the road.

So what are we watching for before we can bake? Three things. First, doubling or tripling in size within four to eight hours of feeding. Second, a clear rise and fall pattern — we need to see that peak and fall two feedings in a row. Third, the smell needs to shift from that strong acetone smell to something more yeasty and tangy. Once we see all three of those things consistently, we are ready to bake. And honestly? We are close. I think we are only about one to three days away.

Olivia made a cameo today too, which made the whole thing even better. Tune in on Day 14 and we will see if Willy and Nilly are on track! 🍀

More From the Sourdough Journey

• Sourdough Starter Maintenance — Feed and Fridge — How I keep a starter alive and happy with a busy family schedule.
• Day 21 — Goodbye Willy & Nilly, Hello Free Willy 2 — The dramatic turn Willy and Nilly’s story eventually takes.
• Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe — The loaf this whole journey is building toward, with a full printable recipe card.

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🌱 New to sourdough? Start with my Sourdough for Beginners guide — how to make a starter from scratch and bake your first loaf.

Sourdough Day 13 — About the Sourdough Journey

The Sourdough Journey is Stephanie’s series documenting her very first attempt at making sourdough bread from scratch. What started as one whole wheat starter named Willynilly became two — Willy and Nilly — before the journey took a dramatic turn. Now a whole new chapter of baking is underway with Pearl and Free Willy 2. Start at Day 1 and follow the whole story at stephaniecooksforacrowd.com!