1:4:4 Sourdough Starter Feeding Chart to Make 80g Levain (9g : 36g : 35g)
Balanced mid-ratio baker's math to build 80g of active levain (100% Liquid) for an 10 - 12 hrs ripening window.
To make 80g of active starter at a 1:4:4 ratio (1:4:4), weigh 9g of ripe seed, 36g of flour and 35g of water. That 100% Liquid culture will be domed and sweet in 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F, which is exactly the timing you want for 10–11 hour overnight levain build at 74°F. Feed 100g — 11g / 44g / 45g — if you want to stop discarding permanently.
- Exact 80g Build
- 9g : 36g : 35gStarter : Flour : Water (1:4:4)
- 80g + 20g Jar Reserve
- 11g : 44g : 45gBuilds 100g 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
Gram-by-Gram 1:4:4 Levain Breakdown for 80g (100% Liquid)
Zero-waste gram breakdown for 1:4:4 (100% Liquid) centred on the 80g target, with the 100g jar reserve alongside.
| Target Levain Yield | Seed Starter (1 Part) | Fresh Flour (4 Parts) | Water (4 Parts) | Peak Ripening Time @ 75°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80g 1:4:4 ([Your Target]) | seed 9g | fresh flour 36g | room-temp water 35g | peak 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F |
| 70g 1:4:4 (Leaner Read) | seed 8g | fresh flour 31g | room-temp water 31g | peak 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F |
| 90g 1:4:4 (Fuller Read) | seed 10g | fresh flour 40g | room-temp water 40g | peak 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F |
| 60g 1:4:4 (Micro Scale) | seed 7g | fresh flour 27g | room-temp water 26g | peak 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F |
| 100g 1:4:4 (Large Scale) | seed 11g | fresh flour 44g | room-temp water 45g | peak 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F |
On-Bench Hydration & Fermentation Adjuster
Modify base flour mass, levain inoculation, or ambient kitchen temperature below to recalculate from this 9g : 36g : 35g baseline.
Balancing Yeast Density & Acidity with a 1:4:4 Ratio (80g Levain Build)
Monod growth kinetics explain the 10 - 12 hrs window: the 1:4:4 refresh drops the seed fraction to 8.9g per 9 parts, so fermentable sugar concentration sits just above the half-saturation constant for 9g of inoculum. Yeast divides fastest while sugar is plentiful, then slows as the 36g of new flour is exhausted and lactic acid accumulates.
Readiness, not the clock, should end the refresh. The 1:4:4 culture at 80g should dome into a taut convex pillow and release gas in visible streaks when the jar is tilted; a levain that merely doubled and stayed flat has not finished fermenting and will underproof the dough.
Zero-Discard Scraping Method for 80g Levain (1:4:4)
- Zero the Scale and Pre-weigh (11g / 44g / 45g): Set out three vessels and weigh each ingredient before you open the starter jar.
- Bloom the Seed (11g): Add the 11g of ripe seed to 45g of water and stir until the mixture becomes a uniform cloudy suspension.
- Add Flour in Two Pours (44g): Incorporate half the flour, wait 20 minutes for hydration, then work in the remainder so no dry pockets survive.
- Ferment to a Dome (10 - 12 hrs): At 75°F the 1:4:4 culture should double and dome in 10 - 12 hrs; pull 80g at peak and return 20g to the fridge.
Common Scaling & Troubleshooting Questions (9g : 36g : 35g)
Can I still make 80g if I only have 40g of starter?
Feed 40g of seed with 36g flour and 35g water, then treat the resulting 111g of sourdough culture as your starter instead.
Should the water be warm or cold for a 1:4:4 refresh?
Room temperature, roughly 70°F (21°C). Hotter water risks shocking the culture, while colder water stretches the 10 - 12 hrs peak considerably.
How long does a 1:4:4 feeding take to peak?
At 75°F (24°C) the culture domes in 10 - 12 hrs; a cooler room adds roughly 3.8% for every degree below that.