Overnight 1:6:6 Sourdough Starter Feeding Ratio to Build 50g (12 - 16 hrs Peak Window)
High-dilution overnight levain math to build 50g of sweet, de-acidified starter (100% Liquid) with zero morning collapse.
Feed 1:6:6 and you get 4g seed starter, 23g flour and 23g water, adding up to the 50 grams you actually need. That 100% Liquid culture peaks in 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F. Add the 20g buffer and the numbers shift to 5g / 32g / 33g for a 70g jar. Perfect for Warm summer overnight build (77°F–79°F).
- Exact 50g Build
- 4g : 23g : 23gStarter : Flour : Water (1:6:6)
- 50g + 20g Jar Reserve
- 5g : 32g : 33gBuilds 70g total (0g discard waste)
- Estimated Peak Window
- 12 - 16 hrsAt 74°F–76°F (23.5°C–24.5°C)
- Levain Hydration
- 100%Warm summer overnight build (77°F–79°F)
50g 1:6:6 Feeding Neighbourhood: Seed, Flour, Water & Peak Window
Every row recalculates the 1:6:6 ratio from scratch so the seed, flour and water columns stay internally consistent.
| Levain Yield to Build | Seed Culture (1 Part) | Added Flour (6 Parts) | Added Water (6 Parts) | Ripening Window at 75°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50g 1:6:6 ([Baseline]) | seed 4g | fresh flour 23g | room-temp water 23g | peak 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F |
| 40g 1:6:6 (Trimmed Read) | seed 3g | fresh flour 18g | room-temp water 19g | peak 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F |
| 60g 1:6:6 (Extended Read) | seed 5g | fresh flour 28g | room-temp water 27g | peak 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F |
| 30g 1:6:6 (Compact Read) | seed 2g | fresh flour 14g | room-temp water 14g | peak 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F |
| 70g 1:6:6 (Generous Read) | seed 5g | fresh flour 32g | room-temp water 33g | peak 12 - 16 hrs at 75°F |
Live Parameter Solver for Overnight 1:6:6 Sourdough Starter Feeding
Dial in custom baker's percentages and export your adjusted 4g : 23g : 23g formula for bake day.
De-Acidifying Your Culture: Why High-Ratio 1:6:6 Feeds Maximize Oven Spring (50g Build)
A 1:6:6 feed at 50 g is really a statement about how much acid you want to inherit. At 1:6:6, the 3.8g-per-part arithmetic places 4g of already-acidified culture into 23g of virgin flour plus 23g of water, and that dilution ratio governs the final pH of your levain.
Hydration discipline at 100% Liquid means the 23g of water should be room temperature, not hot. Water above 95°F can shock the lactobacilli and stall the 12 - 16 hrs peak, while water below 60°F pushes fermentation into a slow acidifying phase that flattens the eventual rise.
Zero-Discard Scraping Method for 50g Levain (1:6:6)
- Check Room Temperature: Confirm your kitchen is close to 75°F (24°C). At 68°F a 1:6:6 feed stretches toward 12 - 16 hrs of extra ripening, and at 82°F it contracts noticeably.
- Build the 70g Base (5g Seed): Feed your seed starter with 32g of flour and 33g of water at 100% Liquid.
- Watch for the Convex Dome (12 - 16 hrs): The surface should bulge into a smooth pillow and jiggle when gently shaken, not collapse flat.
- Split the Peak (50g Out, 20g Back): Use 50g of the 70g build in your dough and restart the cycle with the 20g that is left.
Cereal Chemistry & Bench Execution FAQs
What happens if I use 1:6:6 starter in a very wet dough?
The 100% Liquid sourdough culture carries less acid, so a wet dough keeps more of its elasticity. Hold back a little extra water if your flour absorbs like 23g of bread flour does.
What flour should I use for a 50g 1:6:6 levain?
A 12%+ protein bread flour for the 23g of flour gives a strong levain; adding whole wheat or rye at 20% of that weight speeds it up and adds pleasant acidity.
Can I scale this 50g build up to 100g?
Double every number: 8g starter, 46g flour, 46g water. The ratio, and therefore the 12 - 16 hrs peak, is unchanged.