Understanding Sourdough Starter Ratios
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Increase your success when it comes to your sourdough starter by understanding sourdough starter ratios. Whether you want to manipulate your sourdough starter to peak first thing in the morning or have a ripe starter to greet you in the kitchen after work, there's no denying that understanding sourdough starter ratios will increase your chance at maintaining a successful sourdough starter.
Starter ratios might seem complicated, but honestly, it's simple! After reading this, you are going to be a pro at feeding your sourdough starter the perfect ratio. And this will help you to bake amazing sourdough, even when you're busy.
If you are just beginning your sourdough starter journey, I recommend reading these instructions for making a sourdough starter and this collection of common sourdough starter questions and answers as they will be helpful in your overall understanding of this topic.
What is a Sourdough Starter Ratio?
A sourdough starter ratio refers to the proportions of flour and water you feed your sourdough starter. It's a simple calculation used by home bakers and professional bakers alike to measure the amount of flour and water they put in their sourdough starter jar in comparison to the amount of sourdough starter.
Just like any ratio, a sourdough starter ratio compares different parts of an equation - for example a ratio of 1:2:2 demonstrates that there are 3 parts to the equation and that for every 1 part of something there are 2 parts of something else (in this case one part starter to 2 parts flour and 2 parts water.
The ratio is always written in the order of STARTER : FLOUR : WATER.
This ensures you always know which part of the ratio refers to which ingredient, without having to actually write it out in full.
In terms of sourdough starter ratios, the parts are always measured in grams using a digital kitchen scale. This ensures they are accurate and you maintain a 100% hydration starter. If you use volume to measure this ratio, it will not work because a cup of flour and a cup of water are not equal.
When cultivating your wild yeast sourdough starter, understanding how sourdough starter ratios work is a really important step in your sourdough journey. There are so many different ways to feed your starter, it can be hard to know which one is right for your own sourdough starter.
What Ratio is Best?
There's no right answer when it comes to the best ratio for your sourdough starter. The correct ratio for your starter really depends on what you want to do with it.
Lower Ratio - Lower ratios (1:1:1 or 1:2:2) will make your sourdough starter peak more quickly because there isn't a lot of fresh flour for the amount of starter to consume. A lower ratio of flour and water to sourdough starter will produce a more mellow flavored sourdough starter. This ratio is best when you want to bake with your starter in just a few hours.
Higher Ration - A higher ratio (1:5:5 or 1:10:10) will slow your sourdough starter down because there is a lot more flour and water compared with the amount of starter. A higher ratio of flour and water to sourdough starter will produce a more sour flavor sourdough starter. This ratio is best when you want to manipulate your starter into peaking the next day or beyond.
Other reasons for using a higher sourdough starter ratio include:
- to increase the amount of sourdough starter you have on hand
- to make extra to dry and save.
- to extend the time your starter can survive without feeding
- to strengthen your starter
- to correct an acidic starter
I've created this useful graphic to help you understand the different ratios and their approximate rising times. Remember though, that rise times really are only an approximation and you can never truly be exact because it depends on the temperature of your kitchen, the temperature of the water and flour you add, the point at which the sourdough starter you're using was last fed. There are so many variables that make up this equation.
Can You Easily Change Your Starter Ratio?
Absolutely you can easily change your sourdough starter ratio. Remember you're in charge of your sourdough starter and you can easily manipulate it to work for you! This is so important when you're trying to fit sourdough baking into your busy life. You can easily change your sourdough starter ratio from one day to the next, depending on your baking needs that day.
For example, today, you can feed your starter at at 1:2:2 ratio (for example 50 grams of starter, 100 grams of flour, 100 grams of water). You could use 200g of starter for your baking today and then tomorrow, feed the remaining 50g of starter in your jar at a 1:5:5 ratio. This allows you to control how much active sourdough starter you have on hand at any one time.
You may also need to change your sourdough starter ratio to adjust for a different type of flour. Whole wheat flour or rye flour absorb more water than white flour starters so you often need to increase the amount of water you add to your whole wheat starter. This can get a bit confusing because even though you may be using a higher ratio of water, the starter will not really be stiffer because of the type of flour that you are using. I talk about this in my instructions for making a rye sourdough starter.
Effect of Temperature
Temperature has a huge effect on the time that your sourdough culture takes to peak, regardless of what ratio you have used to feed it.
Warmer temperatures make your starter peak more quickly, while cooler temperatures make it peak more slowly. This is the same as when you are leaving your sourdough bread to bulk ferment.
You can use this to your advantage and combine it with either a higher or lower sourdough ratio to manipulate your sourdough starter. Using lukewarm water to in your sourdough starter maintenance routine can reduce the time your starter takes to peak, which is great if you want to make something sooner rather than later.
Alternatively, if you want to be organised and make sure your starter peaks in the morning, then you could feed your starter a higher ratio with some cold water in the early afternoon.
What About Hydration?
Sourdough starter ratios can affect the hydration of your sourdough starter, but only if you intentionally want to change it. Any ratio that uses equal parts flour and water is considered a 100% hydration ratio. For example 1:2:2 or 1:5:5 will both result in a sourdough starter that is 100% hydration because the same amount of flour and water have been added.
To change the hydration of your sourdough starter, you would need to add more or less flour or more or less water. For example, if you want a stiffer starter, you would use a ratio like 1:2:1. This means that for every part of sourdough starter and water you add, you would add twice the amount of flour. A stiffer sourdough ratio will delay the time your sourdough starter takes to peak.
If you want a more liquid starter, you would use a ratio like 1:1:2. This means that every part of sourdough starter and flour you add, you would add twice the amount of water. A higher hydration sourdough starter will peak a lot faster.
The hydration of your sourdough starter can affect the recipe that you're using it in, so you may need to make adjustments for this to ensure success. For example, a sourdough bread dough made with a higher hydration starter will be more wet, so you may need to add extra flour. Majority of sourdough recipes and sourdough discard recipes are written with a 100% hydration sourdough starter in mind.
