Sourdough Hydration Calculator
Hydration % = water weight / flour weight. Including starter's flour + water content.
Result
Total hydration
72.7%
550 g flour + 400 g water.
- Added flour500 g
- Added water350 g
- Starter100 g (100% hyd)
- Flour in starter50.0 g
- Water in starter50.0 g
- Total flour550 g
- Total water400 g
- Total hydration72.73%
Step-by-step
- Starter (100% hyd, 100 g) = 50.0 g flour + 50.0 g water.
- Total flour = 500 + 50.0 = 550 g.
- Total water = 350 + 50.0 = 400 g.
- Hydration = water/flour × 100 = 72.73%.
How to use this calculator
- Enter added flour, water, starter.
- Set starter's own hydration (100% standard).
About this calculator
Sourdough hydration = total water / total flour. Important to include the flour + water carried in starter. 100% hydration starter is half flour + half water by mass. Beginner sourdough: 65-70% hydration (firm, easy to handle). Open-crumb / artisan: 75-85% (sticky, requires technique). High-hydration ciabatta: 80-90%. As hydration increases: more open crumb, more flavor, harder to shape.
Frequently asked
Otherwise hydration is misleading. If recipe ignores starter, real hydration is 5-10% higher than reported.
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