Gluten Free Sourdough Starter (Brown Rice, 1:1:1 Guide)

If your gluten free sourdough starter is not bubbling, not rising, or keeps forming hooch (that liquid on top), this guide walks you through a foolproof gluten free sourdough starter recipe using brown rice flour and a gluten free culture, plus exactly how to fix the common issues. You’ll get a day-by-day plan, the simple feeding ratio (by volume & by-weight option), the best temperature to keep it, and a quick checklist for when your gluten free starter is ready for baking a perfect gluten free sourdough bread.

I’ll show you which gluten free flours work best for starters, how to revive a runny or watery starter, what to do if it’s bubbly but doesn’t rise or when it smells like alcohol or cheese, how often to feed and discard, and long-term storage options. There’s a step-by-step video, a printable recipe card, an at-a-glance troubleshooting table, and an FAQ so you could use it easily in recipes like: GF Sourdough Buns, Gluten Free Sourdough Pumpernickel Bread, Gluten Free Sourdough English Muffins, Crackers, Pancakes or Tortillas.

Quick Start For A Gluten Free Starter

• Feed ratio (by volume): 1 part starter : 1 part brown rice flour : 1 part water. Aim for pancake-batter consistency.
• Temperature: keep the jar somewhere warm, ideally 75–80°F (24–27°C). Warmer = faster; cooler = slower.
• Jar headspace: use a tall jar (2 qt) so it can double or triple without overflowing.
• When to feed: early days every 12–24h; once active, feed when it rises then just begins to fall.

Friendly note for celiac readers: always use certified gluten-free flours (oats must be certified GF if used), and remember wheat sourdough isn’t gluten-free, even when long-fermented.

Ways to Make a Gluten Free Sourdough Starter

Back in 2016 I wanted a clean-ingredient GF loaf that didn’t rely on gums or starch blends so I’ve tested the three common paths to a gluten-free sourdough starter:

1. build it from scratch with whole-grain GF flour and water,
2. jump-start it with a natural helper like fruit, cabbage leaves, water kefir, or sauerkraut juice, or
3. use a gluten-free starter culture (which is basically an established starter, packed in a dehydrated form, made from brown rice).

I choose option 3 because it’s reliable and saves time and ingredients. I first used it in 2016 and baked with that starter for months (I only replaced it after a fridge spill, not a baking issue).

My method is simple: activate the dehydrated culture with brown rice flour and filtered water, keep it warm, and feed at a 1:1:1 ratio until it’s rising and falling on schedule. Alaways making sure it has a “pancake-batter” consistency. I used this starter for all gluten free sourdough recipes published in my cookbook.

If you love the DIY adventure, try #1; if you already brew kefir or have sauerkraut juice, #2 can work beautifully; but if you want the lowest-stress, foolproof route, the culture-based start is the one I recommend.

Sourdough Starter Feeding Ratio (By Volume & Weight)

• By volume (my method): 1:1:1 starter:flour:water.
• By weight: 1:1:1 at 100% hydration (e.g., 50 g starter + 50 g flour + 50 g water).
• Texture target: thick but stirrable, like pancake batter. If too runny, add a spoon of flour; if too thick, add a splash of water.

Brown Rice Flour Starter (Why It Works)

I start with brown rice flour because it ferments predictably, has a fine, gentle starch that’s easy for the microbes to digest, and makes activity easy to read, you’ll see a clear rise line and a domed top as it strengthens. It’s whole-grain (more nutrients for a robust culture), mild in flavor, and widely available as certified gluten-free. Once your starter is mature and consistent, you can keep feeding brown rice or slowly transition to sorghum, buckwheat, or a blend, you just change one thing at a time.

The Method

Equipment Needed

Use a tall jar or bowl with room to triple (I like two 64-oz Mason jars, one for starter, one for discard, non-hinged lid). Cover with cheesecloth + rubber band so it can breathe, stir with a spatula (scrape the sides clean), drape a kitchen towel to block bright light, and keep measuring cups handy for flour and water.

Or get a all-in-one Gluten Free Sourdough Starter Jar Kit + Culture Bundle (includes a packet of dehydrated gluten free sourdough starter, a mason jar, fermentation lids and weight, feeding band tracker and spatula) – this is perfect for first time trying, you don’t need anything else.

Day-By-Day Activation

The process of activating the gluten free sourdough starter can take from 5 to 10 days, it depends on a lot of factors. The package of sourdough culture comes with instructions on how to activate it, but the description doesn’t always coincides with what can happen in reality, so this is how it worked for me (also make sure to watch the video tutorial, for visuals).

Day 1 – Mix 1 Tbsp brown rice flour + 1 Tbsp lukewarm filtered water + GF starter culture in a 2-qt jar. Cover loosely. Warm spot (75-80°F is ideally);
Day 2 – Feed 2 Tbsp flour + 2 Tbsp water (should have consistency of a pancake batter, adjust if needed);
Day 3 – Feed 4 Tbsp flour + 4 Tbsp water (even if there’s no bubbles yet);
Day 4 – Tiny bubbles? Feed ½ cup flour + ½ cup water; shorten time between feeds as activity increases. Now check every 12 hours or so. Double the amount at each feeding.

Day 5 – More bubbles? More bubbles and more activity (fermentation) in less time so I fed it: 1 cup + 1 cup this time.

Day 6 – Next I didn’t feed it on time, it passed more than 14 hours so it deflated and a hooch appeard with strong acidic smell. I poured off most of it (so I wouldn’t use too much flour for feeding), and discarded to 3–4 Tbsp (total left), fed it just 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp.

Day 7 – Feed ¼ cup + ¼ cup; if active again, a second feed of ½ cup + ½ cup later that day (8 or 6 hours between feedings).

Day 8 – Very active? Discard ½ of jar, then feed 1 cup flour + 1 cup water.
Day 9 – If you’re unable to feed it as often as every 4-5 hours, it might deflate (no liquid on top yet), in this case: discard to ~1.5 cups (remaining in the jar), and feed 1.5 cups flour + 1.5 cups water (1:1:1). Next time when it doubles/triples in 4–5h, it’s ready.

To summarize: the way to maintain a healthy and manageable starter: is to pour off (discard) some starter each time you feed it. And maintain this ratio: starter (1) : flour (1): water (1).

Don’t worry so much about being exact. That was one of my biggest fears in beginning a sourdough starter. With time I wasn’t measuring anything anymore. I was just eyeballing so the amount are kept at equal ratios and the time between feedings: 12 to 24 hours not longer. And everything went perfectly fine from there.

Storage & Maintenance

• Short breaks (feed once every 3–4 days): stiffen slightly (kept in the refrigerator in order to slow down it’s activity.) Before storing, starter should be freshly fed.
• Weekly bakers: keep in the fridge, and only take the necessary amount, bring it to room temperature and feed it with equal amount of water and flour: 1–2x the day before baking. The rest which remains in the jar is fed as well (once a week), but it stays in the fridge. That’s how I maintain it for years.
• Long breaks (2+ weeks): dry with flour and store airtight; rehydrate to restart. How: place a large dollop of your active sourdough starter in the bottom of a bowl. Cover it with lots of flour (the same flour used for feedings) and use your hands to pinch through the mixture, and break up the clumps. Continue doing this until the mixture feels completely dry. Add flour if necessary. Then let the bowl sit out exposed to dry air for a day. Then, place it in a jar and seal.

Tried This Method of Making a Gluten free Sourdough Starter? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Tap ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate it or leave a quick comment below! your feedback helps other readers (and keeps me creating new treats).

Ready to bake?

Try My Recipes With Sourdough Starter Discard

• Gluten Free Sourdough Pancakes (Gluten And Dairy Free)
• Gluten Free Sourdough English Muffins (Vegan)
• Soft Gluten Free Wraps / Tortillas (Vegan)
• Gluten Free Sourdough Crackers With Seeds (Vegan)
• Gluten Free Sourdough Eggless Banana Bread