Overnight 1:5:5 Sourdough Starter Feeding Ratio to Build 60g (10 - 12 hrs Peak Window)
High-dilution overnight levain math to build 60g of sweet, de-acidified starter (100% Liquid) with zero morning collapse.
Feed 1:5:5 and you get 5g seed culture, 27g flour and 28g water, adding up to the 60g you actually need. That 100% Liquid culture peaks in 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F. Add the 20g buffer and the numbers shift to 7g / 36g / 37g for a 80g jar. Perfect for Standard 12-hour overnight sweet-spot build.
- Exact 60g Build
- 5g : 27g : 28gStarter : Flour : Water (1:5:5)
- 60g + 20g Jar Reserve
- 7g : 36g : 37gBuilds 80g total (0g discard waste)
- Estimated Peak Window
- 10 - 12 hrsAt 74°F–76°F (23.5°C–24.5°C)
- Levain Hydration
- 100%Standard 12-hour overnight sweet-spot build
Reference Table: 1:5:5 Ratios at 60g and Its Neighbours
Peak ripening estimates assume a 75°F kitchen and 23°C room; colder kitchens need roughly 3.8% more time per degree.
| Build This Much | Seed (1 Part) | Flour (5 Parts) | Water (5 Parts) | Ripening Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40g target ([Baseline]) | seed 4g | flour 18g | water 18g | ripe in 10 - 12 hrs |
| 60g target (Trimmed Read) | seed 5g | flour 27g | water 28g | ripe in 10 - 12 hrs |
| 80g target (Extended Read) | seed 7g | flour 36g | water 37g | ripe in 10 - 12 hrs |
| 50g target (Compact Read) | seed 5g | flour 23g | water 22g | ripe in 10 - 12 hrs |
| 70g target (Generous Read) | seed 6g | flour 32g | water 32g | ripe in 10 - 12 hrs |
Dynamic Stoichiometric Workbench (5g : 27g : 28g)
Test custom loaf weights or alternative fermentation schedules directly against the 7g : 36g : 37g benchmark above.
De-Acidifying Your Culture: Why High-Ratio 1:5:5 Feeds Maximize Oven Spring (60g Build)
A 1:5:5 feed at 60g is really a statement about how much acid you want to inherit. At 1:5:5, the 5.5g-per-part arithmetic places 5g of already-acidified culture into 27g of virgin flour plus 28g of water, and that dilution ratio governs the final pH of your sourdough culture.
Shaping behaviour downstream is decided here: a levain built at 1:5:5 from 5g of seed and 27g of flour carries less residual acid than a 1:1:1 feed, so the dough it is folded into keeps more elastic recoil through bulk and produces taller oven spring.
Zero-Discard Scraping Method for 60g Levain (1:5:5)
- Divide 60g by 11 Parts (5.5g Each): A 1:5:5 ratio has 11 parts, so each part of your 60g target weighs 5.5g.
- Measure the 1 Seed Part (5g): That is your existing culture, weighed cold and fresh from the refrigerator.
- Measure the 5 Flour Part (27g) and 5 Water Part (28g): Add both, mix to a stiff paste, and cover the jar.
- Peak and Reserve (10 - 12 hrs): After 10 - 12 hrs at 75°F, portion out 60g and keep the balance as tomorrow's seed.
Key Baker's Math Questions (Exact 60g Build: 5g : 27g : 28g)
Why is my 1:5:5 culture not doubling?
Usually the seed was neglected in the refrigerator. Two warm 1:2:2 refreshes at 76–78°F, each with 27g of fresh flour, will strip the acid and restart the yeast.
Why does my 1:5:5 levain smell sour instead of sweet?
Sourness means the seed was over-acidic going in. Feed 27g of fresh flour against 5g of the old starter twice in a row at 78°F and the taint disappears.
How long does a 1:5:5 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.