What Is a Sourdough Starter Feeding Ratio?
If you’ve spent any time reading about sourdough, you’ve probably seen ratios like “1:1:1” or “1:2:2” thrown around. But what do those numbers actually mean?
A sourdough starter feeding ratio tells you how much flour and water to add relative to the amount of starter you’re feeding. The format is always:
Starter : Flour : Water
So a 1:1:1 ratio means:
- 1 part starter
- 1 part flour (by weight)
- 1 part water (by weight)
And a 1:2:2 ratio means:
- 1 part starter
- 2 parts flour
- 2 parts water
All measurements are by weight, not volume. This is why a digital scale is essential for sourdough baking.
The Most Common Feeding Ratios
1:1:1 (Equal Parts)
This is the most common maintenance ratio. The starter will peak and be ready to use in about 4-6 hours at room temperature (70-75°F / 21-24°C).
Best for: Daily feeding, active baking schedules
1:2:2 (Double Feed)
Feeding double the flour and water means the starter has more food and will take longer to peak — about 8-10 hours at room temperature.
Best for: Longer intervals between feeds, busy schedules
1:3:3 (Triple Feed)
Even more food means even longer between feeds — about 12-16 hours. Good if you only want to feed once a day.
Best for: Once-daily feeding, warmer kitchens
1:5:1 (Stiff Starter)
A stiff (low-hydration) starter. This is a traditional style that’s more acidic and slower to rise. Not common for beginners.
Best for: Rich, tangy breads, longer storage
How to Calculate Your Feeding
Let’s say you have 50g of starter and want to feed it at a 1:2:2 ratio.
Here’s the math:
- Starter: 50g
- Flour: 50g × 2 = 100g
- Water: 50g × 2 = 100g
- Total after feeding: 250g
Another example: you have 30g of starter and want a 1:1:1 ratio.
- Starter: 30g
- Flour: 30g × 1 = 30g
- Water: 30g × 1 = 30g
- Total after feeding: 90g
Want to skip the math? Use our free Sourdough Calculator to work out exact feeding amounts, bread dough formulas, and more.
How Much Starter Should I Keep?
The minimum amount you need to keep is about 20-30g. Any less and it’s hard to measure accurately, plus it’s more vulnerable to temperature swings.
For home bakers, we recommend keeping 50-100g of starter at all times. This gives you:
- Enough to bake with
- Enough to feed and maintain
- A safety margin if you accidentally use too much
If you know you’re going to bake a lot, you can build up more starter by feeding larger amounts for a few days.
Adjusting for Your Schedule
The beauty of feeding ratios is that you can adjust them to fit your life, not the other way around.
If You Work 9-5
Feed at a 1:3:3 ratio before you leave for work. It will be ready when you get home (about 8-10 hours later). If it’s peak has passed, just give it a quick 1:1:1 feed and it’ll be ready in a few hours.
If You Bake on Weekends Only
Keep your starter in the fridge and feed it once a week. Take it out the night before you want to bake and give it a couple of 1:1:1 feeds to wake it up.
If You’re Going on Vacation
Feed it at a very high ratio (like 1:5:5) and put it in the fridge. It should be fine for 1-2 weeks. For longer trips, you can also dry your starter.
Signs Your Starter Is Healthy
A healthy starter should:
- Double in size 4-8 hours after feeding (at 1:1:1 ratio, room temp)
- Smell pleasantly yeasty — like fresh bread or beer, not like nail polish or rotten garbage
- Have a bubbly, frothy texture on top
- Have a consistent rise and fall pattern
Signs Something Is Wrong
It smells like acetone or nail polish remover
This means your starter is hungry and has run out of food. Feed it more frequently or at a higher ratio.
It’s pink or orange
This is a sign of harmful bacteria. Throw it out and start over.
It never rises
Your starter might be too cold, or you might be killing it with chlorinated water. Try using filtered water and keeping it somewhere warmer.
It’s super runny
Normal for a young starter. As it matures, it should become more bubbly and hold its shape better.
How to Revive a Neglected Starter
Forgot to feed your starter for a few days? No panic. Most starters are surprisingly resilient.
- Discard all but 20-30g of the old starter
- Feed at 1:1:1 with fresh flour and water
- Wait 4-6 hours
- If it shows signs of life (bubbles, rising), feed again at 1:1:1
- Repeat 2-3 times until it’s reliably doubling
If after 3-4 feeds it still isn’t rising, it might be time to start a new one. But don’t give up too soon — some starters take a while to bounce back.
Using Our Sourdough Calculator
Our free Sourdough Calculator can help with:
- Starter feeding math — Enter how much starter you have, pick your ratio, get exact amounts
- Bread dough formulas — Calculate flour, water, salt, and starter for any loaf size
- Hydration calculations — Figure out the exact hydration of your dough
- Baker’s percentages — Everything in proper baker’s math format
It’s like having a baking assistant in your pocket.
Final Thoughts
Sourdough starter feeding doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with a 1:1:1 ratio, observe how your starter behaves, and adjust from there. The most important thing is to be consistent — same time, same ratio, same flour.
Before you know it, you’ll have a feel for your starter and won’t even need to measure as carefully. But until then, a scale and our calculator are your best friends.
Happy baking! 🍞