Sourdough Starter Feeding Ratios: 1:1:1, 1:2:2, 1:4:4 and More

What the numbers mean

A feeding ratio has three numbers: starter (the seed), flour and water, by weight. 1:1:1 means equal weights of each: 100 g starter, 100 g flour, 100 g water. 1:2:2 means 100 g starter with 200 g each of flour and water.

When flour and water are equal, the starter is at 100% hydration. Ratios like 1:2:1.5 make a stiffer starter, at 75% hydration.

Use the starter feeding calculator to turn any ratio into grams for the amount you need.

How ratio changes timing

The more food relative to seed, the longer the starter takes to work through it and peak. King Arthur Baking ran a side-by-side trial at a steady 78°F, aiming for 180 g of starter:

The author is clear that every starter is different and these are a guide. At typical room temperatures below 78°F, expect longer times. The same article says a healthy, mature starter fed 1:1:1 at about 78°F usually peaks after 4 to 6 hours, with a range of 4 to 8 depending on the starter and the kitchen.

Importantly, it reports that starters fed at different ratios perform the same in the bread. Ratio changes timing, not results.

Choosing a ratio for your schedule

• Baking this afternoon: feed 1:1:1 in the morning.
• Baking tomorrow morning: feed 1:4:4 before bed.
• Feeding once a day: larger ratios such as 1:8:8 or 1:10:10 stretch the time between feeds.
• Minimum: King Arthur Baking says to feed at least 1:1:1 to keep the culture healthy and balanced.

Maintenance routines

King Arthur Baking's maintenance guide uses 113 g of starter (about 1/2 cup):

Room temperature, twice a day. Discard all but 113 g and feed it 113 g each of water and flour every 12 hours. Times are flexible: feeding at 7 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. is fine.

Refrigerator, once a week. Keep 113 g, feed it 113 g each of water and flour, leave it on the counter until it starts bubbling (1 to 2 hours), then refrigerate. The less often you feed, the longer it takes to get the starter ready to bake with, so plan a feed or two at room temperature before baking.

Building up more starter

If a recipe needs more than you usually keep, feed without discarding until you have enough plus a portion to keep. The maintenance guide's example: feed 113 g with 113 g each of flour and water, then feed the resulting 339 g with 339 g each, giving more than 2 pounds. Or work backward from the amount you need with the calculator.

Weighing matters

Feeding ratios only work by weight. King Arthur Baking points out that a cup of flour weighs about 120 g while a cup of water weighs about 226 g, so volume measures distort the ratio badly.

Using the discard

Discard can go into discard recipes, the compost, or the trash. King Arthur Baking suggests drying it on parchment before throwing it away, and thinning it well with cold water if it must go down the drain, so it doesn't clog pipes.

Temperature

Temperature affects starter speed as much as ratio does. A warmer spot speeds it up and a cooler one slows it down. See the dough temperature calculator for how temperatures combine once you mix the dough.

Common questions

Does the feeding ratio change how my bread turns out?

According to King Arthur Baking's trial, starters fed at different ratios perform the same in baking; the main difference is how long they take to peak.

My starter peaks too fast in summer. What can I do?

Use a larger ratio (more flour and water per gram of seed), use cooler water, or keep it somewhere cooler. Some professional bakers also add a small amount of salt (0.2–0.3%) to levain in warm months to slow it.

I forgot to feed my starter for a week. Is it ruined?

Probably not. King Arthur Baking says a neglected starter can almost certainly be revived by feeding every 12 hours until it is healthy again.

Should I feed with whole-grain flour?

Not necessary once a starter is established; all-purpose works. Whole-grain flour for the final feed adds whole grain to a loaf and can speed the starter a little.