🍞 Sourdough Starter Manager

An OpenClaw skill for maintaining healthy sourdough starters with intelligent feeding schedules, precise calculations, and expert troubleshooting.

What This Skill Does

The Sourdough Starter Manager transforms your AI assistant into a sourdough expert that helps you:

• Calculate perfect feeding ratios for any situation
• Generate feeding schedules for daily maintenance or pre-bake preparation
• Troubleshoot starter problems with expert diagnosis and recovery protocols
• Convert between hydration levels (100%, 75%, etc.)
• Plan baking timelines to have starter ready exactly when you need it
• Track starter health with clear indicators and monitoring
• Store starters properly for vacations or long breaks

Installation

Via ClawHub CLI (Recommended)

# Search for the skill
clawhub search sourdough

# Install
clawhub install sourdough-starter-manager

Manual Installation

1. Create the skill directory:

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills/sourdough-starter-manager

1. Copy SKILL.md to the directory:

cp SKILL.md ~/.openclaw/skills/sourdough-starter-manager/

1. Restart OpenClaw or reload skills:

openclaw reload-skills

Usage Examples

Basic Feeding

You: I need to feed my starter. I have 50g left.
AI: For daily maintenance, I recommend a 1:1:1 ratio feeding:
    - 50g starter (what you have)
    - 50g flour
    - 50g water
    Total: 150g starter after feeding
    
    Timeline: Feed now, it'll be ready in 4-8 hours at room temperature...

Baking Preparation

You: I want to bake on Saturday morning. My recipe needs 200g of active starter.
AI: Let me create a preparation timeline for you:

    Thursday Evening (8 PM):
    - Take starter from fridge
    - Feed 1:2:2 ratio (30g starter + 60g flour + 60g water)
    
    Friday Evening (8 PM):
    - Discard down to 50g
    - Feed 1:3:3 ratio (50g starter + 150g flour + 150g water)
    - This gives you 350g total
    
    Saturday Morning (6-8 AM):
    - Starter should be at peak rise
    - Use 200g for your recipe
    - Feed the remaining 150g and return to fridge...

Troubleshooting

You: My starter has liquid on top and smells weird
AI: The liquid (hooch) means your starter is hungry. Here's what to do:

    1. Pour off the liquid or stir it back in
    2. Discard all but 50g of starter
    3. Feed with 1:2:2 ratio for extra food:
       - 50g starter + 100g flour + 100g water
    4. Feed every 12 hours for the next 3 days
    5. Monitor for sweet-sour smell and doubling
    
    Your starter should be back to full health in 3-4 days...

Hydration Conversion

You: How do I convert my 100% hydration starter to 75%?
AI: Here's how to convert 100g of your 100% starter to 75% hydration:

    Your current starter:
    - 50g flour + 50g water = 100% hydration
    
    To convert to 75%:
    - Keep the 50g flour
    - Reduce water to 37.5g (75% of 50g)
    
    Practical method:
    1. Take 100g of your starter
    2. Add 13g flour
    3. Mix well
    4. You now have ~113g at 75% hydration...

Features

Smart Calculations

• Automatic hydration percentage calculations
• Feeding ratio conversions (1:1:1, 1:2:2, etc.)
• Target amount back-calculations
• Temperature-adjusted timelines

Health Monitoring

• Visual indicators (bubbles, rise, texture)
• Smell diagnostics (sweet-sour vs. acetone vs. mold)
• Float test guidance
• Recovery protocols for weak starters

Timeline Planning

• Same-day baking preparation
• Multi-day advance planning
• Temperature-adjusted schedules
• Contingency planning

Storage Solutions

• Refrigeration protocols (1-4 weeks)
• Dehydration method (long-term)
• Revival instructions
• Vacation planning

Requirements

• OpenClaw: Compatible with OpenClaw 2.0+
• Dependencies: None - pure knowledge skill
• API Keys: Not required
• External Tools: Not required

Skill Structure

sourdough-starter-manager/
├── SKILL.md           # Main skill definition
└── README.md          # This file

Configuration

No configuration needed! This is a pure knowledge skill that doesn't require any API keys or external services.

If you want to customize when this skill is triggered, you can add this to your ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  "skills": {
    "entries": {
      "sourdough-starter-manager": {
        "enabled": true
      }
    }
  }
}

Use Cases

Perfect for:

• Home Bakers: Maintain a healthy starter with minimal effort
• Beginner Sourdoughers: Learn the fundamentals with expert guidance
• Busy Bakers: Quick calculations and timeline planning
• Weekend Bakers: Perfect preparation schedules
• Travelers: Storage and revival protocols
• Troubleshooters: Diagnose and fix starter problems

Why This Skill?

Sourdough starters require consistent care and understanding, but the math and timing can be confusing. This skill:

1. Removes the guesswork from feeding calculations
2. Prevents common mistakes with expert troubleshooting
3. Saves time with instant ratio calculations
4. Reduces waste with precise amount targeting
5. Builds confidence through clear explanations
6. Adapts to your schedule with flexible timelines

Contributing

Found a bug or have a suggestion? Contributions welcome!

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Submit a pull request with your improvements

Tips for Best Results

1. Provide context: "I have 50g of starter" vs. just "how do I feed it"
2. Mention your schedule: "I want to bake Saturday morning"
3. Describe issues clearly: "liquid on top, sour smell" vs. "something's wrong"
4. Include temperature: Room temp affects all timelines
5. Ask follow-ups: The skill adapts to conversation flow

Version History

• v1.0.0 (February 2026): Initial release
  • Core feeding calculations
  • Hydration conversions
  • Troubleshooting guide
  • Baking preparation timelines
  • Storage protocols

License

MIT License - Feel free to use, modify, and share!

Author

Created by AM for the OpenClaw community.

Acknowledgments

Built on the collective wisdom of sourdough bakers worldwide and years of fermentation science.

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Happy Baking! 🍞

May your starter rise strong and your bread be delicious!