Free template · PDF · US Letter
Free Printable Sourdough Starter Feeding Log (PDF)
| Date & time | Ratio (S:F:W) | Flour | Room temp | Time to peak | Rise (×) | Smell / look / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
What the log tells you after a week
Peak time is the number bakers actually need: the window when the starter is at its strongest and should go into the dough. It depends on ratio, temperature, and flour, and the log pins down all three. After a week of entries at your kitchen's temperature you can predict peak within half an hour and plan a bake backward from it — feed at 9, mix at 2 — instead of hovering over the jar.
Rise is the health check. A starter that reliably doubles or more at peak is active; one that creeps to 1.5× and slumps may need warmer conditions, a few days of more frequent feeding, or a different flour. Smell belongs on the sheet too: yeasty and mildly sour at peak, sharper vinegar or acetone notes when it has gone past peak and is hungry.
- Mark the jar with a rubber band at the fed level so Rise (×) is a measurement, not an impression.
- Log the temperature where the jar sits, not the thermostat — a windowsill and the top of the fridge can differ by 10°F.
- Write the flour; whole wheat and rye ferment faster than white and change peak time.
Common feeding ratios and what they do
Starter : flour : water by weight. Peak times are typical for a healthy starter around 75°F (24°C) and shift with temperature and flour — which is what the log is for.
| Ratio | Typical peak | When bakers use it |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1:1 | About 4–6 hours | Fast refresh before a bake; building a young starter; warm kitchens need two feeds a day |
| 1:2:2 | About 6–8 hours | Twice-daily maintenance; a bit more buffer than 1:1:1 |
| 1:3:3 to 1:5:5 | About 8–12 hours | Overnight feed so the starter peaks in the morning; keeps acidity lower |
| 1:10:10 | 12 hours or more | Very warm kitchens, or stretching feeds; taming an over-sour starter |
| Fridge storage | — | Feed, let it begin to rise, then refrigerate; refresh roughly weekly and give two or three room-temperature feeds before baking |
Higher ratios (more fresh flour per gram of starter) take longer to peak and tend toward milder flavor; lower ratios are faster and more sour.
How to use this sheet
- Print the PDF and keep it under the starter jar.
- At each feed, write the time, the ratio by weight, the flour, and the temperature where the jar sits.
- Put a rubber band at the fed level; when the dome starts to flatten, write the time to peak and the rise as a multiple.
- Add a few words on smell and texture — yeasty, sour, acetone, soupy, stiff — so the row describes the starter and not just the clock.
- Before a bake, find the most recent row at a similar temperature and plan the feed so the peak lands when you want to mix.
Questions
Is this sheet really free?
Yes. The PDF is free to download and print — no sign-up, no email, no watermark.
How often should I feed a sourdough starter?
Kept at room temperature, usually once or twice a day depending on ratio and warmth; kept in the fridge, roughly weekly. The log shows how long your starter takes to peak and fall, which is the real answer to how often it needs feeding.
What does 1:1:1 mean?
Equal weights of starter, flour, and water — for example 50 g starter, 50 g flour, 50 g water. The log records ratios by weight because volume measurements of flour are inconsistent.
My starter smells like nail polish remover. Is it dead?
Almost certainly not. An acetone smell usually means it is hungry and has gone well past peak. Feed it at a higher ratio and log the next few feeds; the smell normally returns to yeasty-sour within a day or two.
Is there an app version?
Yes — Banneton for iPhone logs starter feeds and bakes with timers for peak and proof, and keeps a hydration and temperature record per loaf. Core is free, no account needed, and your data stays on your device.
Want the log to analyze itself?
Banneton for iPhone tracks the same things in seconds and shows you the patterns — free core, no account, and everything stays on your device.