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Sourdough Hydration Calculator

Calculate final dough hydration using baker’s percentages. Includes starter accounting, total flour and water, and baker’s % so you can design precise, repeatable formulas.

Calculate Your Sourdough Hydration

Flour (g)
Water (g)
Starter
Salt (g, optional)

Your Results

72.7%
Final dough hydration
Totals (including starter)
Total Flour: 550 g
Total Water: 400 g
Baker's Percentages
Flour: 100%
Water: 72.7%
Salt: 1.82%
Starter (as flour%): 9.1%

Typical Hydration Targets

Lean dough
60%
Medium hydration
65%
Open crumb
70%
High hydration
75%

Note: Actual workable hydration depends on flour strength and technique.

How to Calculate Hydration

Baker's Percentage

Hydration(%) = Total Water ÷ Total Flour × 100
Total Flour = Flour + Starter Flour
Total Water = Water + Starter Water

Source: King Arthur Baking – Baker’s Percentages; The Sourdough School – Starter hydration.

Calculation Steps:

  1. 1
    Determine starter hydration
    e.g., 100% starter = equal water and flour
  2. 2
    Split starter into flour and water
    Starter flour = starter ÷ (1 + hydration ratio)
  3. 3
    Compute hydration
    Hydration = (water + starter water) ÷ (flour + starter flour)

Important Considerations

⚠️ Handling & Flour Strength

Higher hydration requires stronger flour and good handling to maintain structure.

🥣 Flour Absorption

Different flours absorb water differently (whole grain > white).

  • • Protein and ash content matter
  • • Freshly milled flours hydrate more
  • • Brand variation is real
💧 Autolyse & Mixing

Autolyse increases perceived hydration and extensibility.

  • • Longer autolyse → better water absorption
  • • Gentle mixing preserves structure
🌡️ Temperature

Warmer dough ferments faster; adjust timing, not only hydration.

  • • High temp → more extensible dough
  • • Cool bulk → slower fermentation
🥵 Over-hydration Risks

Too-wet dough may collapse or stick excessively.

  • • Reduce hydration or strengthen dough
  • • Use coil folds/lamination for strength

Tips

Start moderate

If new to sourdough, begin around 65–70% hydration before pushing higher.

Adjust for flour

Whole grain and high-protein flours can handle higher hydration.

Develop gluten

Use autolyse and coil folds to build strength for wetter doughs.

Watch dough, not clock

Temperature and flour vary—use dough feel and volume increase as guides.

Sources: King Arthur Baking; The Sourdough School.

Example Cases

Case 1: Country Loaf

Inputs: Flour 500g, Water 350g, Starter 100g (100%), Salt 10g
Hydration: ≈ 70%
Notes: Balanced, workable dough for home baking

Tip: Add a short autolyse (20–30 min) to improve extensibility.

Case 2: High Hydration Open-Crumb

Inputs: Flour 500g, Water 400g, Starter 120g (100%), Salt 10g
Hydration: ≈ 76%
Notes: Requires strong flour and good gluten development

Tip: Use coil folds during bulk fermentation to build strength.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sourdough hydration?
Hydration is the ratio of total water to total flour (including starter contributions) expressed as a percentage. For example, 70% hydration means water weight is 70% of total flour weight.
How does starter hydration affect final dough hydration?
Starter contributes both flour and water based on its hydration. A 100% hydration starter contains equal parts water and flour by weight; both must be included in totals when calculating dough hydration.
What are typical hydration ranges?
Common artisan breads range ~60–75% hydration. Lean doughs ~60–65%, open-crumb country loaves ~68–75% depending on flour strength and handling.
What authoritative sources are used?
This calculator uses baker’s percentage methodology as described by King Arthur Baking (Baker’s Percentages) and The Sourdough School guidance on starter hydration accounting.

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