What Ratio Should I Feed My Sourdough Starter? (Beginner Guide)

The Short Answer: 1:1:1 by Weight

If you are new to sourdough and looking for a safe, tested default, feed your starter 1:1:1 by weight. That means equal grams of mature starter, flour, and water. For example: 30 g starter + 30 g flour + 30 g water.

This is the ratio used by nearly every beginner-friendly resource and the one most starter recipes assume unless stated otherwise. It peaks in roughly 4–6 hours at 72°F (22°C) and is forgiving of small measurement errors.

For a deeper look at the three common ratios, see our complete feeding ratio guide.

Why Ratios Matter (Even for Beginners)

A feeding ratio is just the recipe for refreshing your starter. The three numbers are always read as starter : flour : water. The higher the flour and water numbers, the longer your starter takes to peak — because the fixed population of yeast and bacteria has more food to chew through.

1:1:1 — peaks in 4–6 hours. Great for same-day use.
1:2:2 — peaks in 6–8 hours. Great for feed-before-dinner, bake-in-morning.
1:5:5 — peaks in 10–14 hours. Great for overnight levains.

Pick the ratio whose peak window lines up with when you want to bake. If you want to bake at 2 PM and it is 8 AM now, 1:1:1 is a good fit.

Step-by-Step: How to Do a 1:1:1 Feed (Beginners)

Put a clean jar on a kitchen scale and zero it.
Scoop out 30 g of mature starter from your existing jar. Discard the rest or save it for sourdough discard recipes.
Add 30 g of room-temperature water (around 75°F / 24°C). Stir until the starter dissolves into a slurry.
Add 30 g of flour — bread flour or a 50/50 bread + whole-wheat blend works well.
Stir until smooth, scrape down the sides, and cover loosely with a lid or cloth.
Mark the jar with a rubber band at the starter level so you can see when it has doubled.
Wait 4–6 hours at room temperature. When the starter is domed, smells tangy-fruity, and passes the float test, it is ready to bake with.

Float Test (Optional but Helpful)

Drop a teaspoon of starter into a glass of water. If it floats, it has enough gas to leaven bread. If it sinks, wait 30 more minutes. The float test is not perfect but is a good sanity check for new bakers.

Troubleshooting: Common Beginner Issues

Problem: My Starter Is Not Rising

If your 1:1:1 feed barely moves in 6 hours:

Age: New starters (under 14 days) are often sluggish. Keep feeding twice daily.
Temperature: Below 65°F, fermentation crawls. Move the jar on top of the fridge or to a warm pantry.
Flour: Low-protein all-purpose flour ferments slower than bread flour. Try adding 10 g whole wheat to the feed.
Water: Chlorinated tap water can inhibit yeast. Use filtered or let tap water sit overnight.

Problem: My Starter Peaked in 3 Hours and Collapsed

Your kitchen is probably above 78°F. Switch to 1:2:2 to slow things down, or move the starter to a cooler spot. At temperatures over 82°F, 1:1:1 can peak in under 3 hours, which makes timing very tight.

Problem: My Starter Smells Like Nail Polish Remover

That is acetone. It means the starter is hungry and has over-fermented. Feed it right away. If it happens repeatedly, feed more often or switch to a higher dilution like 1:2:2 so the food lasts longer.

Problem: I Keep Throwing Away So Much Discard

Two fixes:

Shrink your feeds. 10 g + 10 g + 10 g is still a 1:1:1 feed — just a smaller one. Most single-loaf bakers only need 50–75 g of ripe starter.
Use a higher ratio. Switching to 1:5:5 means less frequent feeds and less discard per day.

When Should You Change Your Ratio?

You do not need to stick with 1:1:1 forever. Try a different ratio when:

Your schedule changes. Night shift baker? 1:5:5 lets you feed at 4 PM and bake at 6 AM.
Your kitchen changes temperature. Winter may call for 1:1:1; summer may need 1:3:3.
You want a different flavour. Milder loaves come from more dilution (1:5:5); tangier from less (1:1:1).
Your starter is mature. After 3–4 weeks of healthy activity, your starter can handle any of the common ratios.

Quick Reference Table

If you want to bake in...	Feed your starter...
4–6 hours	1:1:1 at 72°F
6–8 hours	1:2:2 at 72°F
8–12 hours	1:3:3 at 72°F
10–14 hours (overnight)	1:5:5 at 72°F