Pour the warm water into a 1.5 quart glass or ceramic container or bowl. Add honey and instant yeast. Gradually stir in the all-purpose flour.Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and place it in a warm spot. It is said that a dish towel or plastic wrap allows the starter to capture any wild yeast that is in the air, giving it a better flavor. The mixture will begin to bubble and brew almost immediately.
Day Two
Allow the starter to set on your counter for 2 days, stirring once a day. When the bubbles have subsided and a yeasty sour aroma has developed, it is time to “feed” your starter.
Day Three - Feed Your Starter
Now that your starter has started to smell sour, it’s time to feed it. Remove up to a cup of the starter, also called “unfed starter,” or “discard”. This first week, you will discard the cup of starter into the trash. But it is essential that you get rid of one cup because the starter is going to grow. If you don’t discard it, you may find it bubbling over your container in a huge goopy mess.(When discarding, be sure to leave at least 1/4 cup of starter in your jar.)
Add to the remaining starter: 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to combine and cover.
Days Four - Six
Continue this process of discarding and feeding your starter every 12 hours for the remaining of your first week to get the best “sour” taste from your mixture.
Day Seven
After the first week, you may use your active starter in recipes! When you are done, you may refrigerate the starter in a glass or ceramic container.
In these beginning days, it's best to try and use the starter at least once a week. To do this, remove the starter from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
Remove up to a cup of starter (discard). Feed the remaining starter with 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Stir to incorporate. Allow it to rise and once it has nearly doubled, it's ready to use in recipes. (You may also use the discard in a discard recipe such as biscuits, crackers, pancakes, etc.)
The more you use your starter, the more vigorous it will become. This recipe will make about 2 cups of starter.