1:4:4 Sourdough Starter Feeding Chart to Make 120g Levain (13g : 53g : 54g)
Balanced mid-ratio baker's math to build 120g of active levain (100% Liquid) for an 10 - 12 hrs ripening window.
Want 120 g of active levain and zero waste? Mix 13g of your existing culture with 53g flour and 54g water — a 1:4:4 ratio at 100% Liquid. Fed at 75°F the starter peaks in 10 - 12 hrs and smells sweet rather than sour. Scale up to 140g (16g seed, 62g flour, 62g water) and the extra 20g stays in the jar as tomorrow's seed. Ideal for 10–11 hour overnight levain build at 74°F.
- Exact 120g Build
- 13g : 53g : 54gStarter : Flour : Water (1:4:4)
- 120g + 20g Jar Reserve
- 16g : 62g : 62gBuilds 140g total (0g discard waste)
- Estimated Peak Window
- 10 - 12 hrsAt 74°F–76°F (23.5°C–24.5°C)
- Levain Hydration
- 100%10–11 hour overnight levain build at 74°F
Scaling 1:4:4 Feeds Across 100g to 140g
Weights derived from the 9-part 1:4:4 division, where one part equals 13.3g.
| How Much to Make | Starter (1 Part) | Flour (4 Parts) | Water (4 Parts) | Peak Hours (75°F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120g 1:4:4 levain [Your Target] | 13g seed culture | 53g flour | 54g water | peak 10 - 12 hrs |
| 110g 1:4:4 levain Leaner Read | 12g seed culture | 49g flour | 49g water | peak 10 - 12 hrs |
| 130g 1:4:4 levain Fuller Read | 14g seed culture | 58g flour | 58g water | peak 10 - 12 hrs |
| 100g 1:4:4 levain Micro Scale | 11g seed culture | 44g flour | 45g water | peak 10 - 12 hrs |
| 140g 1:4:4 levain Large Scale | 16g seed culture | 62g flour | 62g water | peak 10 - 12 hrs |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your starter feeding ratio × target weight ratios locked.
Balancing Yeast Density & Acidity with a 1:4:4 Ratio (120g Levain Build)
Flour quality matters more than ratio labels at this size: 53g of fresh flour feeding 13g of seed at 100% Liquid determines how much maltose the amylase releases per hour, which in turn sets the 10 - 12 hrs ripening curve at 75°F.
Hydration discipline at 100% Liquid means the 54g of water should be room temperature, not hot. Water above 95°F can shock the lactobacilli and stall the 10 - 12 hrs peak, while water below 60°F pushes fermentation into a slow acidifying phase that flattens the eventual rise.
Zero-Discard Scraping Method for 120g Levain (1:4:4)
- Never Scrap the Jar Clean: Leave a deliberate 16g remnant of starter in the vessel — this is the seed for the next 1:4:4 refresh, not waste.
- Top Up with 62g Flour and 62g Water: These two additions convert your remnant into exactly 140g of 100% Liquid levain.
- Wait for the 10 - 12 hrs Peak: Confirm the dome and the escaping gas streaks before you need the levain.
- Return the Surviving 20g: Whatever levain is left after your bake goes straight back into the jar and the refrigerator, and the cycle repeats without a single discarded gram.
Technical Q&A: 1:4:4 Sourdough Starter Feeding Chart to Make 12
How many grams of starter, flour and water make 120 grams at a 1:4:4 ratio?
13g starter + 53g flour + 54g water = 120 grams, split across 9 parts of 13.3g each.
Why does my 1:4:4 levain smell sour instead of sweet?
Sourness means the seed was over-acidic going in. Feed 53g of fresh flour against 13g of the old culture twice in a row at 78°F and the taint disappears.
Can I still make 120g if I only have 60g of starter?
Feed 60g of seed with 53g flour and 54g water, then treat the resulting 167g of levain as your starter instead.