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Levain calculator: how much to feed for your recipe

If your recipe needs 120 g of levain and you feed at 1:5:5, mix 11 g of starter with 55 g of flour and 54 g of water. The tool below works for any weight.

What do you know?

The weight of fed starter you want. For a recipe that asks for 120 g of levain, enter 120.

Weigh the jar, then subtract the empty jar. We use it to tell you how much to discard.

Feeding ratio (starter : flour : water)

1:5:5 means 1 part starter, 5 parts flour and 5 parts water, by weight.

Slower and milder. Suits one feeding a day. 1:1:1 versus 1:5:5

Your feeding

Show amounts in grams, ounces or cups

Feed 11 g starter, 55 g flour and 54 g water.

Starter
11 g
Flour
55 g
Water
54 g
Total after feeding
120 g

Discard

Type the weight of the starter in your jar to see how much to discard.

Mix 11 g of starter with the flour and water to get 120 g. Keep 11 g in the jar and discard any extra first. Ratio 1:5:5 by weight, 100% hydration. Amounts are rounded to whole grams.

Rough peak time

about 8 to 12 hours

At 75 °F. A guide only: your flour, starter and kitchen will change it. Watch the jar, not the clock.

Fine-tune

100% means equal flour and water. Used with the preset ratios.

Temperature unit

Used only for the peak time guide.

Clock times (optional)

Fill in one to see clock times for the peak. Fill in both to get a ratio that fits your night.

Flour mix (optional)

White flour (all-purpose or bread): 100%

The numbers

Starter, flour and water for a levain of a set weight at 1:5:5
Recipe needsStarterFlourWater
80 g7 g37 g36 g
120 g11 g55 g54 g
160 g14 g73 g73 g
200 g18 g91 g91 g
300 g27 g137 g136 g

Amounts use 100% hydration and white flour. Change hydration or the flour mix in the tool above.

How this differs from a normal feeding

In a normal feeding you choose how much starter to keep. For a levain you choose how much you need in the end. The calculator works backward from your total and gives the starter, flour and water that add up to it.

The amounts are rounded to whole grams and still add up to your total.

Timing the levain

Mix the levain a set number of hours before you mix the dough. At 75 °F, a 1:5:5 levain is ready in 8 to 12 hours. A 1:2:2 levain is ready in 5.5 to 8 hours. Use it when it has doubled and the top is domed.

Many recipes call for the levain at its peak. A levain that has fallen is more sour and less strong.

Build extra

Make a little more than the recipe needs, for example 10 g more. You lose some to the jar walls. The extra also becomes the starter you save for next time.

Quick answers

What is the difference between levain and starter?

A starter is the culture you keep alive. A levain is a portion you feed to build up for one bake. The math is the same.

Which ratio should I use for a levain?

Use 1:5:5 for an overnight levain and 1:2:2 for a few hours. Pick the one that peaks when you plan to mix the dough.

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