If you are just starting your sourdough journey, one of the first and most important things to understand is sourdough starter feeding ratios. These are about a delicate balance between starter, flour, and water, and are essential for creating and maintaining a healthy and active starter.
What is a sourdough feeding ratio?
A sourdough feeding ratio refers to the proportion of flour and water used in relation to the starter. It is a simple way to measure the amount of flour and water you need to add to your starter.
Ratios like 1:1:1 or 1:3:3 represent the proportions of starter, flour, and water, respectively.
In any feeding ratio, the first number always represents the starter, the second number represents the flour, and the third number represents the water.
For instance, a 1:1:1 ratio means you will use equal parts starter, flour, and water. If you have 10 grams of starter, you will add 10 grams of flour and 10 grams of water.
On the other hand, a 1:3:3 ratio means you will use one part starter, three parts flour, and three parts water. With 10 grams of starter, you would add 30 grams of flour and 30 grams of water.
By using these ratios, you guarantee that your starter receives the correct amount of "food" (flour and water) to remain active and grow.
Sourdough starter feeding ratios
Most feeding ratios range between 1:1:1 and 1:6:6 (starter: flour: water), but some bakers use even higher ratios, such as 1:10:10 and higher. The ratio you choose depends on how quickly you want your starter to grow and how often you plan to feed it.
If you use a lower ratio, like 1:1:1, your starter will grow faster because it has less food to digest. This means it will reach its peak (its highest activity level) sooner.
A higher ratio, like 1:5:5 or 1:10:10, slows down the fermentation process. This gives your starter more food to last longer before it needs to be fed again.
1:5:5 can be used to feed the starter, while higher ratios (1:10:10 and higher) strengthen the weak, acidic starter and make the levain overnight to make sure it reaches its peak in the morning when you wake up.
How sourdough feeding ratios affect your starter
The feeding ratio you choose directly impacts how your starter behaves.
Let's say you use a 1:1:1 ratio. Your starter will typically peak in about 4-6 hours at a room temperature of 74°F (23°C), as it quickly consumes the food you have provided.
If you are only feeding it once a day, though, this can cause problems. After it peaks, the starter will begin to "starve," resulting in a weak and overly acidic starter over time.
By using a 1:5:5 ratio instead, you are giving the starter much more food. This slows down the fermentation process, allowing the starter to have enough food until your next feeding.
You might need to adjust your starter's feeding ratio depending on how it behaves:
- If the starter collapses (falls back down after peaking) before it is time to feed it again, try increasing the ratio to 1:6:6.
- If it hasn't peaked yet by feeding time, reduce the ratio to 1:4:4 to accelerate the process.
Feeding frequency and ratios
Feeding frequency and ratios are closely related. The following feeding ratios are suggestions and not obligatory, as each starter, room temperature, and humidity differ.
| Feeding Ratio | Feeding Frequency |
| 1:1:1 | Every 4 hours |
| 1:2:2 | Every 8 hours |
| 1:3:3 | Every 12 hours |
| 1:4:4 | Every 16 hours |
| 1:5:5 | Every 20 hours |
What feeding ratio should you use?
There is no simple answer to this question. Each sourdough starter is unique, so you will need to adjust the feeding ratio according to the type of flour, water, and room temperature.
A common feeding ratio is 1:3:3, measured by weight twice a day. If you only feed your starter once a day, use 1:5:5 or 1:6:6 to keep it healthy and strong.
These ratios work best when your starter is kept at a room temperature of 68-72°F (20-22°C).
As a beginner, try using the suggested ratios and then adjust them according to your own environment.
Additionally, consider the climate in which you live. If your home is very warm or you live in a hot climate (regularly above 82°F or 28°C), you may want to reduce your starter hydration. This will slow down fermentation and prevent it from peaking too quickly.
My routine
When I began my sourdough journey, I discovered that feeding my starter once a day with a 1:5:5 ratio (one part starter, five parts flour, and five parts water) was effective, consistently producing good bread.
However, I started to wonder if the temperature changes in my home were stressing my starter. During the day, we maintain a temperature of around 73°F (23°C), but at night, it drops to 69°F (21°C). This back-and-forth seemed to be affecting how well my starter performed.
To solve this, I invested in a Brod & Taylor Sourdough Home, which maintains a steady temperature throughout the day. This helps my starter stay active and healthy without needing adjustments for colder or warmer weather.
Now, I keep my starter at a constant 75°F (24°C) and feed it twice daily using a 1:4:4 ratio (one part starter, four parts flour, four parts water). Just a note: I use 100% King Arthur bread flour, and the starter stays at 100% hydration.
Let's talk sourdough
What's your go-to feeding ratio for your starter? Have you experimented with different amounts or timings, and what did you notice? Let's compare notes in the comments.
Ready to keep learning?
Now that you understand sourdough starter feeding ratios, check out what 100% hydration sourdough starter means.
Nancy says
I’m going to start a cottage bakery. I have been making 10 loaves at once. I’d like to make a bigger batch. To get my starter from 400 grams to say 12000 grams, do I just add for a few times with no discard or do I just feed it to make that much. I’m a little confused!
Thanks.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Nancy, To scale up your starter, you’ll want to build it in stages by feeding without discarding until you reach the amount you need. Instead of jumping straight from 400 g to 12,000 g, do it over a couple of builds so your starter stays strong and active. Here’s a simple 2-stage example: Start with 400 g starter. Feed it at 1:1:1 ratio (400 g starter + 400 g flour + 400 g water) in the afternoon. By morning, you’ll have 12,000 g. I personally like to build a little extra starter (about 10 % more than the recipe requires) just in case. For example, you might feed 1,200 g of starter at a 1:5:5 ratio in the evening instead of 1:4.5:4.5. I hope this helps. Also, please read how to scale a sourdough bread recipe.
Cheryl K says
Few questions. Hi. I'm a first timer, just staring on my sourdough journey but got stuck on the starter part. When it's time to feed the starter, I know you have to discard. I know and slowly understanding the feeding ratios. But what confuses me is how much starter to keep and feed, because if I'm basing it off of the feeding ratios, example 1:1:1 10g. Does that mean I keep 10g of starter and go from there. Or do I have to weight what I currently have before discarding, example 100g starter then feed ratio that then discard. But then again brings me back to how much to keep? It's bubbling but not a lot like the references I see, makes me worried I just ruined it. Any input would be helpful. Thanks, CK.
Irina Totterman says
Hello Cheryl, welcome to the sourdough world! Let me clarify the feeding process a bit. First, don’t worry about what you currently have. You don’t need to weigh the full jar before discarding. The idea is to remove most of the starter so that what remains is just the portion you want to keep, for example, 10 g, and feed according to your chosen ratio. So the process is: first discard, then feed the amount of starter you want to maintain. Second, how much starter to feed. Less is better (without wasting flour!). For example, I feed 4 g of starter at a 1:4:4 ratio (4 g starter, 16 g flour, 16 g water) twice a day, storing it at a constant 75°F using my Brod & Taylor Sourdough Home. For guidance, please refer to the starter feeding ratios and adjust based on your kitchen temperature.