In this magazine article, we are going to outline some of the best reviewed websites and brands to buy sourdough bread starters online in Canada, from small family companies, as well as a few larger brands. That way you can look through a variety of options for your at-home baking needs and make an informed objective decision on what sourdough starter works best for your personal needs.
One consideration to keep in mind when buying a dehydrated sourdough culture to use for baking bread at home, is that some starters only come in 10 gram packages, you want to look out for the ones with 15-20 grams in the package or more. This ensures a faster and stronger activation process for the sourdough starter culture to bubble and become ready for baking bread, plus lessens the chances of things not working out properly. You can even use half of the package amount to try the process out and then you have some as a backup, too.
Sourdough bread is amazing because it only requires a few ingredients, and the yeast and baking process dissolves most of the wheat gluten, which makes this ideal for minimizing bloating and maximizing digestion. Sourdough goes with everything and is becoming very popular again nowadays, given the turbulence with inflation and the state of the economy. Baking sourdough bread at home is empowering and helps to increase health and wellness, while lowering or minimizing the costs associated with buying healthy bread.
We strongly encourage you to join the sourdough community on Reddit.
Sourdough Bread Starter Brands in Canada
The Sourdough People: This sourdough website is a community hub for sourdough bread enthusiasts in Canada, the United States, Europe and around the world, offering micro bakery, home baker, and social media influencer interviews, product reviews and unboxing videos, an interactive sourdough bakers map, plus a variety of recipes, guides, and blog post articles. Now, it also features an online store and sourdough bread marketplace where consumers can buy baking tools, supplies, books, starters, clothing, accessories, merch, and digital downloads. With its community-driven features including diversity, inclusion, multiculturalism, multi-language, open sharing and transparent commenting, it’s the perfect place for both new and experienced bakers to explore and shop for all things sourdough.
Bread by Elise: Renowned for its artisanal approach, Bread by Elise offers handmade sourdough starters made from high-quality organic flour and water. The unique selling point is the starter’s form, shipped dry, and accompanied by clear, user-friendly instructions for activation at home. Beyond starters, the website is a treasure trove of sourdough resources, including a curated selection of baking supplies, making it a one-stop-shop for all sourdough baking needs.
Breadtopia: Specializing in a variety of sourdough starters, Breadtopia’s range includes options like wheat, rye, and whole grain. The starters are distinctively shipped in a dried form, ensuring longevity and ease of transport. Each starter comes with detailed home activation instructions. Additionally, the website offers an impressive collection of sourdough baking supplies, catering to both novice and experienced bakers.
Homestead and Chill: This site presents a unique offering of dehydrated organic sourdough starter. Crafted from the finest organic flour and water, it stands out for its ease of activation, with comprehensive instructions provided. Homestead and Chill not only sells starters but also educates, with detailed guidance on sourdough preparation and maintenance.
Gourmet Warehouse: Known for its gourmet baking products, Gourmet Warehouse offers a specially crafted dry sourdough starter. This starter is notable for being made from top-tier organic ingredients, ensuring a pure and natural sourdough experience. The package includes straightforward instructions for activation, making it accessible for home bakers of all skill levels.
Living Sky Farms: Offers a dehydrated sourdough starter, started in 2019 using fresh-milled whole grain red wheat flour. The starter has been maintained with various flours including spelt, red wheat, and white wheat, ensuring the integrity of gluten during fermentation. Each package, available for purchase online, includes instructions for rehydration and contains enough starter for two rehydration attempts.
Summit Sourdough: Offering a historical touch, Summit Sourdough presents a 125-year-old sourdough starter. This unique starter boasts a lineage passed down through generations, adding a touch of heritage to the baking experience. Along with the starter, the website provides an array of baking kits and supplies, catering to a wide range of baking interests and skills.
Cultures for Health: As a comprehensive online store, Cultures for Health goes beyond just selling products. It offers a whole wheat sourdough starter made with organic ingredients, catering to health-conscious bakers. The website stands out for its wealth of resources, knowledge, and support, aiming to enhance the home fermentation experience and make sourdough bread-making an accessible and nutritious endeavor.
Daylesford: Positioned as a premium online grocery, Daylesford specializes in an authentic, organic sourdough starter. This starter is a blend of British-grown organic rye and spring wheat flour, appealing to customers seeking quality and sustainability. Daylesford also offers a range of other organic and artisanal cooking ingredients, elevating the culinary experience of its customers.
King Arthur Baking Company: Renowned in the baking community, King Arthur Baking Company offers a fresh sourdough starter made from the finest organic flour and water. The starter is unique in that it’s shipped in a refrigerated package to preserve its freshness, and comes with easy-to-follow home activation instructions.
Wild Bluebell Homestead: Specializes in selling dehydrated organic sourdough bread starters online. These starters are crafted using organic flour and filtered water, and the dehydration process preserves the live yeast and bacteria. The website offers video guides on the sourdough bread-making process, highlighting the health and cost-saving benefits of homemade sourdough.
Hobbs House Bakery: As a family-owned and operated bakery, Hobbs House Bakery brings a personal touch to their high-quality sourdough starter. Made from a blend of organic, stoneground flours and natural yeasts, their starter is perfect for those looking to indulge in the art of traditional bread making. The bakery is also committed to supporting local and sustainable food systems, using locally-sourced ingredients.
Kensington Sourdough: The website of Kensington Sourdough is a haven for sourdough lovers, offering a 150-year-old San Francisco sourdough starter known for its exceptional activity. The site also includes a wealth of information on sourdough products and bakery techniques.
Sourdough Schoolhouse: This online platform is a dream come true for sourdough enthusiasts. Offering a range of handmade sourdough starter cultures, Sourdough Schoolhouse focuses on small-batch production using natural ingredients. The starters are crafted to bring out unique flavors, celebrating the tradition and artistry of bread-making.
Forage Vancouver: An online store with a regional twist, Forage Vancouver offers a sourdough starter that’s a blend of organic, unbleached flours and wild yeasts sourced from British Columbia. This starter is distinct for its focus on local flavors and biodiversity, and the store also features a variety of artisanal food products that showcase the Pacific Northwest’s rich culinary heritage.
The Little Sourdough Starter: Handcrafted using locally grown organic white wheat flour and wild Italian yeast from the 1940s, this starter is notable for its robust fermentation capability. The Little Sourdough Starter brand also offers an attractive package including free shipping, appealing to Canadian families looking for quality at an affordable price.
The Sourdough School: Offering a holistic approach, The Sourdough School provides a comprehensive French white sourdough starter package. This package includes not just the starter but also a guidebook, essential ingredients, and tools. Users also gain access to a wealth of online resources and a supportive community, enhancing their artisanal bread-making journey.
Etsy Canada: Offers a diverse selection of sourdough starters, including options like a 150-year-old San Francisco starter, gluten-free starters, and organic varieties. These starters come in dehydrated form with instructions for home activation. Many sellers also provide additional resources like recipes and mentorship. The collection includes unique starters with historical and regional significance, catering to a wide range of preferences and baking needs.
Kijiji Canada: Features a variety of sourdough starters available across Canada, offered by individual sellers. The range includes organic, whole wheat, and historic San Francisco starters, among others. Prices and product specifics vary, with each listing providing unique characteristics such as age, flour type, and activation instructions. Ideal for enthusiasts seeking a diverse selection of sourdough cultures, Kijiji’s platform allows for direct purchase from sellers in various locations.
Amazon Canada: Offers a diverse range of sourdough starters, with options from various brands and sellers. Customers can find starters that cater to different preferences, including organic, rye, whole wheat, and gluten-free varieties. Each product typically includes instructions for activation and maintenance. Prices and customer reviews vary, providing a comprehensive shopping experience for home bakers.
Sunrise Flour Mill: Offers a unique freeze-dried sourdough starter with a rich history. Originating from Italy and brought to the U.S. via Bolivia, this starter has been maintained for over 100 years. Its unique characteristics make it special for baking nutritious and delicious sourdough bread. The website also delves into the story of Heritage Wheat, highlighting its digestibility and historical significance.
Almanac Grain: This business focuses on traditional baking methods and natural, organic ingredients. Almanac Grain’s sourdough starter is presented through an aesthetically pleasing website, offering detailed information and a smooth purchasing process, appealing to those interested in authentic sourdough bread making.
Brod & Taylor: This website offers a comprehensive guide on creating and maintaining a sourdough starter. Authored by Hannah Dela Cruz, a blogger and cookbook author, the guide covers the science of sourdough starters, feeding techniques, and troubleshooting tips. It emphasizes the uniqueness of each starter and provides practical advice for beginners and experienced bakers alike. The guide is a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the intricacies of sourdough bread-making.
Ooni Canada: Features a detailed guide on how to make and maintain a sourdough starter. This comprehensive guide covers the entire process from scratch, including the necessary equipment, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. It’s perfect for those looking to explore the art of sourdough baking, offering insights into the fermentation process and tips for keeping the starter active.
Rosehill Sourdough: This product is a robust and active sourdough starter, ideal for both novice and experienced bakers. It’s noted for its ability to create flavorful and well-textured sourdough bread. The starter is maintained with care and attention to ensure its vitality and effectiveness in bread making. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable and high-quality starter for their sourdough baking adventures.
Duffy’s Dough: Catering to sourdough beginners and enthusiasts alike, Duffy’s Dough provides not only a quality sourdough starter but also essential baking supplies. Their website is a one-stop resource, offering everything needed for the sourdough journey, from high-quality starters to baking tools, along with detailed product descriptions and an easy purchasing process.
Flourist: Offers a “Sourdough Starter Jar” named ‘Lucille’, started in 2019 with fresh-milled whole grain red wheat flour and maintained with various flours for robust fermentation. The starter, available for online purchase, comes with instructions for rehydration. The jar contains 100g of active starter, and customers are recommended to use a kitchen scale for best results. This product is praised for its readiness and effectiveness in bread-making.
Eden West Gourmet: Offers a fresh sourdough starter for local pick-up, ideal for those eager to bake their own sourdough bread. It’s noteworthy for being ready to use immediately, simplifying the baking process. Additionally, the company provides instructions for maintaining the starter and plans to offer sourdough cooking classes, both online and in-person. This option caters to enthusiasts looking for a quick and accessible start to sourdough baking.
Batard Bakery: Offers a distinctive 100g sourdough culture composed of organic wheat, designed for home bakers to craft their own sourdough bread. This culture needs to be stored in the fridge and remains active for about a week. For prolonged use, it requires reactivation with flour and warm water every few days. This sourdough culture is an invitation for baking enthusiasts to experiment and create their own sourdough masterpieces at home.
Better Basics: Offers a dehydrated sourdough starter made from their Organic Better Bread Flour. This starter is designed to be easily reactivated with flour and water within a couple of days. The product is a convenient dry version of traditional bubbly sourdough starters, suitable for both local and distant customers. The website also features a step-by-step reactivation guide on their blog, assisting customers in their sourdough journey.
Well Bread: Offers the 1898 Sourdough Starter, a unique product with a focus on artisanal quality. The cost includes shipping, packaging, and access to exclusive recipes, techniques, and information about the starter. The product represents a commitment to culinary education, with Chef Cat personally overseeing its creation and offering guidance. This starter is a symbol of the Yukon’s sourdough heritage, emphasizing community sharing and local involvement.
Faire: As a marketplace for unique and artisanal products, Faire likely offers a selection of sourdough starters. These starters, sourced from independent makers, would vary in characteristics such as origin, grain type, and age, catering to different baking preferences. This platform is ideal for those looking to explore a range of high-quality, artisan sourdough starters from diverse producers.
Escarpment Labs: Offers a liquid sourdough culture for bread fermentation, ensuring an effective start with active yeast and bacteria. This culture has been meticulously tested by their team of microbiologists, simplifying the sourdough bread baking process for enthusiasts. The product includes ingredients like malt extract and molasses, and requires refrigeration upon arrival. Additionally, Escarpment Labs provides detailed PDF instructions and YouTube videos for guidance, making the experience accessible for bakers of all levels.
Confluence Farms: Presents a 50-year-old Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter, originating from a BC wheat farmer. This living culture, made with Hard Red Spring Whole Wheat, offers a sour and tangy flavor with fruity notes, ideal for a hearty and complex loaf. The starter is noted for its gut-friendly and nutritious properties, compared to commercial bread. Instructions for caring and feeding the starter, along with recipes, are available on their website, ensuring a fulfilling baking experience.
Better Bakery: Offers a comprehensive Sourdough Starter Kit, including a 17-year-old sourdough starter. The kit is designed to equip home bakers with all the essentials for sourdough bread making, featuring items such as a 10-inch Banneton basket, bread lame, bench scraper, and a guide with feeding instructions and recipes. This kit is ideal for both beginners and experienced bakers looking to delve into the world of sourdough baking.
Positively Probiotic: Offers a Canadian wheat sourdough starter culture, an active starter for creating sourdough bread. The starter is easy to maintain and only requires flour and water for feeding. It is perfect for making sour and tangy wheat sourdough bread. Additionally, the website provides valuable resources like a no-knead sourdough bread recipe, useful tips, and frequently asked questions to assist customers in their sourdough baking adventure.
Rye’s and Shine: Offers a ready-to-use sourdough starter prepared with a blend of organic wheat and rye flour. The starter becomes active for baking within two days of receiving it. The product, designed for both beginners and experienced bakers, comes with favorite sourdough bread recipes, maintenance tips, and instructions. The culture quickly adapts to local regions and climates once fed, and the starter is made fresh before shipping.
Little Tree Farm: Offers an organic, easy-to-use sourdough starter that’s been nurtured for over five years. The product is dehydrated, ensuring a long shelf life and worldwide shipping capability. It’s designed for simple activation, just three steps to get it bubbling and ready for baking a variety of delicious bread and treats. The farm, located in Nova Scotia, Canada, also provides free instructions to assist customers in their sourdough journey.
Burrow Shop: Offers “Stan the Sourdough Starter,” a living sourdough culture named Stan. This starter is crafted by Natali, who has years of experience in producing old-world, well-crafted bread for Ottawa’s restaurants and markets. Using all Canadian ingredients, Stan is designed to be fed once a day for active baking or stored in the fridge and fed weekly. The starter is praised for its ease of maintenance and consistency, making it a popular choice for baking enthusiasts.
Joti Wall: Offers the “SourJo Dehydrated Sourdough Starter,” a mature starter over two years old. It’s designed for easy reactivation, requiring just water, flour, and a kitchen scale. The starter comes with 10 grams of product and a link to online resources, including step-by-step rehydration instructions, artisan bread recipes, and FAQs. The website also provides tips for maintaining the starter and advice on environmental factors affecting reactivation.
Sherwood Sourdough Starter: Elevate your sourdough baking experience with Sherwood Sourdough Starter. Their premium, user-friendly starter allows you to effortlessly craft mouthwatering, tangy sourdough bread right in the heart of your home kitchen. Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of sourdough or you’re a seasoned baker, Sherwood Sourdough Starter offers not only a reliable foundation but also a treasure trove of expertise through their clear instructions and professional tips. Discover the key to crafting artisanal sourdough bread and unlock a world of flavor with Sherwood Sourdough Starter.
North Simcoe Farm2Door: Introducing a superior Sourdough Starter by North Simcoe Farm2Door, tailored for both budding and experienced sourdough artisans. Proudly featured on their website, this thoughtfully nurtured starter promises to enhance the flavor and rise of your homemade sourdough creations. Whether you’re venturing into the world of sourdough for the first time or seeking a premium starter culture as a seasoned baker, North Simcoe Farm2Door’s Sourdough Starter stands as the ultimate choice. Prepare to embark on a delightful journey into the realm of tangy, artisanal sourdough bread, guided by the reliability of their trusted starter.
Ballerina Farm: Introducing the extraordinary Sourdough Starter – Willa by Ballerina Farm, an essential for sourdough connoisseurs. Immerse yourself in the world of sourdough bread-making with this meticulously perfected starter. Embark on a delectable journey crafting tangy, artisanal sourdough bread right in the cozy confines of your own kitchen. Regardless of your experience level, whether you’re a seasoned baker or just taking your first steps, Ballerina Farm’s Sourdough Starter – Willa guarantees consistently delicious results and serves as your ultimate companion on your sourdough adventure.
Culture Mother: With pride, we present our outstanding Traditional Sourdough Starter – Fresh at Culture Mother, a treat for all sourdough enthusiasts. Immerse yourself in the fascinating realm of sourdough bread-making with this thoughtfully created starter. Embark on an exciting journey filled with flavor as you master the art of crafting tangy, artisanal sourdough bread within the comfort of your kitchen. Whether you possess years of baking experience or you’re just beginning your culinary adventure, Culture Mother’s Traditional Sourdough Starter – Fresh is your ultimate gateway to consistently achieving delicious and reliable results.
Gozney: Revealing their flawless Sourdough Starter Recipe, Gozney offers a pathway to crafting your very own artisanal sourdough bread from the ground up. With crystal-clear, step-by-step instructions, Gozney streamlines the sourdough starter process, rendering it easily accessible to both newcomers and seasoned bakers alike. Delight in the creation of delectable, tangy sourdough bread right within the confines of your own kitchen, and embark on a captivating journey through the realm of homemade, flavor-packed bread-making, all thanks to Gozney’s Sourdough Starter Recipe.
Rural at Heart: Unveiling their Sourdough Starter Bundle, Rural at Heart offers the ultimate selection for passionate sourdough devotees. This comprehensive bundle encompasses everything essential to initiate your captivating sourdough adventure. Craft exquisite, tangy sourdough bread effortlessly within the cozy confines of your kitchen, guided by Rural at Heart’s meticulously curated package. Whether you’re a seasoned artisan or a budding baker, this bundle streamlines the entire process, guaranteeing scrumptious results on every occasion. Immerse yourself in the art of sourdough baking and elevate your skills with Rural at Heart’s Sourdough Starter Bundle.
Holy Kraut: Their Italian Sourdough Starter from Holy Kraut is a must-have for sourdough enthusiasts. Dive into the world of Italian bread-making with this meticulously crafted starter. Create delicious, tangy Italian-style sourdough bread right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner, Holy Kraut’s Italian Sourdough Starter offers a flavorful journey to satisfy your bread-making cravings.
Bacillus Bulgaricus: Unveiling their Sourdough Starter, Bacillus Bulgaricus offers the key to unlocking the art of sourdough bread-making. With their expertly crafted starter, you can embark on a flavorful journey to create tangy, artisanal sourdough bread in the comfort of your kitchen. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, Bacillus Bulgaricus’ Sourdough Starter is your reliable companion to achieve delicious results. Dive into the world of sourdough with confidence using their trusted starter.
Sourdough Queen: For all bread-making enthusiasts, Sourdough Queen offers their exceptional Sourdough Bread Starter. Dive into the world of sourdough bread with this meticulously crafted starter, enabling you to create delicious, tangy sourdough loaves right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a beginner, Sourdough Queen’s Bread Starter promises a flavorful journey to elevate your homemade bread game. Unlock the secrets of artisanal sourdough with this trusted starter.
Benanna Bakery: Explore the world of sourdough bread with Benanna Bakery’s Sourdough Starter, an essential tool for all sourdough enthusiasts. Meticulously crafted with expertise, this starter invites you on a delightful journey to create tangy and artisanal sourdough bread in your very own kitchen. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just beginning, Benanna Bakery’s Sourdough Starter is your trusted choice to achieve consistently delicious results. Elevate your bread-making experience with this reliable starter from Benanna Bakery.
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