Sourdough Starter Calculator

It means 1 part existing starter to 5 parts fresh flour to 5 parts water by weight. The parts add up to 11, so for a 220 gram target you keep 20 grams of starter and add 100 grams each of flour and water.

A 1:1:1 feed rises fast and suits a same day bake or a starter you use often. A 1:5:5 feed has less old starter to ferment, so it rises more slowly and is handy for overnight feeds or keeping a starter healthy between bakes.

Equal flour and water by weight gives a 100 percent hydration starter, the most common style. You can lower the water part for a stiffer starter, which ferments more slowly and stores a little longer.

Yes. Each amount is the target multiplied by its share of the total parts, so the starter, flour and water always sum back to the quantity you asked for.

Healthy, regularly fed starter discard is commonly used in recipes, but this is a general guideline, not food safety advice. Discard any starter that smells off, shows pink or orange streaks, or grows fuzzy mold rather than risk it.