Sourdough Myths #2: Is an Older Starter Better?

One of the most common questions bakers hear is: “How old is your starter?”
You’ll often see someone proudly post a photo and say, “This starter has been passed down from my great-great-grandmother!”

While the idea of a century-old starter sounds romantic, the age itself isn’t what makes great bread.

As we discussed in Sourdough Myths #1, a starter is made up of naturally occurring yeast and bacteria. These individual microorganisms have very short lifespans. What keeps a starter “alive” for years—or even decades—is not the age of the original mixture, but a sustained period of time of regular feeding. With consistent refreshment, the culture survives through reproduction. The colony renews itself over and over again.

The key phrase here is regular feeding—actively maintaining and strengthening the culture. A jar of flour and water left sitting indefinitely is not a magical heirloom; it’s simply neglected. What truly matters is the baker’s care, consistency, and understanding of fermentation.

So next time, instead of asking a baker the “age” of their starter, ask how long they’ve been making bread.

That’s the smarter—and more revealing—question.