Summary of "Grow Your Own Yeast (not sourdough)"

Presenter

Joe — Off-Grid Solitude

Overview

This is a method for making and maintaining a home “store-yeast” starter using a very small amount of commercial active dry yeast (not sourdough). It covers proofing, creating a baby starter, growing it to usable volume, feeding/consistency guidance, drying for long-term storage, timings, and common cautions.

Ingredients

Store-bought active dry yeast (very small amounts):
- A few grains — for very small recipes (personal pizza, etc.)
- ~1/4 packet — for recipes using ~3 cups flour (typical)
- ~1/2 packet — for very large batches (6–8 cups flour)
Water — warm for proofing; used in starter build
Flour — plain/all-purpose (for feeding and recipes)
Optional: ~1 tablespoon sugar (or a bit of flour) when proofing yeast
Optional for drying/storage in humid climates: a little oatmeal or wheat bran

Equipment & prep

Clean jar with a lid (store in fridge with lid loosely on)
Clean spoon for feeding/using starter
Wax paper, aluminum foil, or a clean plate for drying starter
Fan (optional) to speed drying in humid climates
Important: do not use heat to dry the starter (heat can kill yeast)

Method — Make and maintain a store-yeast starter

Proof/activate yeast
- Mix a small amount of yeast with warm water and about a tablespoon of sugar or a little flour.
- Wait until it becomes frothy, bubbly, or smells yeasty—this confirms activity.
Create a baby starter
- From grains of yeast: mix a few grains with ~2 tablespoons water and ~2 tablespoons flour (1:1 water:flour).
- If you have no spare yeast: take a pinch of risen dough (before baking) and mix with ~2 tablespoons water and ~2 tablespoons flour.
Grow/upsize the starter
- Let the small starter sit until active (Joe says ~20 minutes; sometimes up to an hour).
- Feed to increase volume: add 4 tablespoons water + 4 tablespoons flour (or continue 1:1 feeds) and let grow ~20 minutes–1 hour.
- Repeat feedings until you have the amount of starter needed.
Use & store
- Use about 1 tablespoon of starter per recipe (Joe typically uses roughly a tablespoon).
- Keep the starter refrigerated with the lid loosely on. It can keep for a long time—“months if not years” per the video.
- When more starter is needed, pull the jar out and feed it. Use a clean spoon to remove starter to avoid contamination.

Feeding & consistency notes

Thin (high hydration) starter: 1:1 water:flour — used during initial builds; yields faster activity. If always fed thin, yeast will adapt to high hydration.
Stiff starter (recommended for longevity/strength): 2:1 flour:water (twice as much flour as water) — conditions yeast to a drier environment and helps maintain strength.

Drying & long-term storage

To save starter long-term: spread a couple spoonfuls thin on wax paper/foil/clean plate, let air-dry until brittle, then crumble and store (e.g., in an envelope).
Drying tips:
- In dry climates this is quick.
- In humid climates, mix in a little oatmeal or wheat bran before drying or use a fan to assist.
- Do not use heat—heat may kill the yeast.

Timings & cues

Initial grow after tiny feed: ~20 minutes (may be longer).
Second feed grow: ~20 minutes to 1 hour.
Activation/proofing visual cues: frothy surface, bubbles, slight rising, or a strong yeasty smell.

Chef tips, common mistakes & cautions

You only need a very small amount of commercial yeast if you baby it—packets contain far more yeast than typical recipes require.
If you use all your yeast in a dough, take a pinch of risen dough (pre-bake) to start a new starter.
Use clean jars and spoons to avoid contamination.
Keep the jar lid loosely on—CO2 can build up and pop a tightly closed jar.
Discard and restart the starter if you see strange colors, an off/bad smell, or fuzzy mold.
Switch to a stiff feed (2:1 flour:water) occasionally if you normally maintain a thin starter to keep the yeast strong.

Warning: Do not use heat to dry the starter—heat can kill the yeast.

Variations & alternatives

Starter source:
- A few grains of commercial active dry yeast
- A pinch of risen dough (pre-bake)
Feed styles:
- Thin starter (1:1) — faster, higher hydration
- Stiff starter (2:1 flour:water) — drier, preserves strength
Storage:
- Refrigerated wet starter (jar, loosely capped)
- Dried starter (spread thin, dry, crumble, store)
- In humid climates: add oatmeal/wheat bran or use a fan to assist drying