What is True Total Hydration in sourdough baking?

True Total Hydration accounts for the flour and water present inside your sourdough starter (levain). Standard 100% hydration starter consists of 50% flour and 50% water by weight. If you add 100g of starter to 500g of flour and 350g of water, your true total flour is 550g and true total water is 400g, yielding a True Total Hydration of 72.7% (400 / 550) rather than the apparent 70% (350 / 500).

What is Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) and why does water temperature matter?

Desired Dough Temperature (typically 78°F / 25.5°C) is the ideal temperature for wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria to ferment at predictable rates. Because room temperature, flour temperature, and starter temperature are fixed, water temperature is the only variable a baker can adjust to achieve target DDT: Water Temp = (3 * DDT) - (Room Temp + Flour Temp + Starter Temp + Friction Factor).

What hydration percentage should beginner sourdough bakers start with?

Beginner bakers should start between 68% and 72% hydration. Dough at this level holds its shape well during shaping and scoring without sticking excessively to hands. High-hydration doughs (78% - 85%) yield desirable open airy honeycombed crumb structures but require advanced coil folding techniques and strong gluten development.

Sourdough Hydration & Baker's Percentage Calculator

Master Your Sourdough Crumb

Calculate exact recipe gram weights with true levain contribution, scale across multiple loaves, and compute the precise water temperature for optimal fermentation.

Baking Gear Explore cast iron Dutch ovens, rattan proofing banneton baskets, UFO bread scoring lames, and precision 0.1g kitchen scales.

Batch Scaling & Formula

Total Base Flour Weight

grams (100%)

Target Hydration 75.0%

65% (Stiff / Beginner) 75% (Open Crumb) 85% (Ciabatta / Expert)

Starter / Levain (%)

Fine Sea Salt (%)

Water Temp Calculator (DDT)

Target: 78°F (25.5°C)

Ensure your dough finishes mixing at exactly 78°F for predictable fermentation times.

Room Temp (°F)

Flour Temp (°F)

Required Water Temp: 90°F (32.2°C)

True Total Hydration 77.3% With starter water

Total Dough Weight 985 g Raw pre-bake yield

Bulk Ferment Estimate 4.5 - 5h At 72°F ambient

⚖ Exact Digital Scale Formula

Ingredient	Baker's %	Scale Weight (Grams)
🌾White Bread Flour (Unbleached)	100.0%	500 g
💧Warm Water (filtered)	75.0%	375 g
🏺Active Sourdough Starter (100% hydration)	20.0%	100 g
🧂Fine Sea Salt	2.0%	10 g

Handling & Crumb Expectations

At 75% hydration, dough will feel pliable and slightly tacky. Plan for 3 to 4 stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation. Expect an open, custardy crumb with medium-large blisters.

Understanding Baker's Percentages & Sourdough Fermentation

1. How Baker's Math Works

In professional baking, all ingredient weights are expressed as a mathematical percentage of the total flour weight:

Flour Weight = 100% (The Anchor)

Water % = (Water Weight / Flour Weight) * 100

Salt % = (Salt Weight / Flour Weight) * 100

This universal standard allows bakers to instantly scale a recipe from a single test loaf up to 500 loaves in a commercial bakery without changing dough behavior.

2. The Levain Hydration Trap

Why do so many sourdough recipes feel soupier than expected?

A standard active starter is fed 1:1:1 (equal parts flour and water). Adding 100g of starter adds 50g of hidden water and 50g of hidden flour to the mix. Our calculator factors in this contribution to display your true effective hydration.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I add salt during the mixing process? ▾

Many artisan bakers use the "autolyse" technique: mix the flour and water first and let them rest for 30 to 60 minutes before adding the starter and salt. Salt tightens gluten bonds and naturally inhibits enzymatic activity. Delaying salt gives enzymes time to break down starches into fermentable sugars and allows gluten chains to relax.

How do I know when bulk fermentation is complete? ▾

Never rely purely on a timer. Bulk fermentation is finished when the dough has increased in volume by 30% to 50% (for warm rooms) or 75% to 100% (for cool rooms), develops dome-shaped doming at the bowl edges, shows visible aeration bubbles beneath the surface, and feels light and jiggly when gently shaken.

Why is whole wheat flour thirstier than white flour? ▾

Whole wheat and rye flours contain bran and germ fibers with high pentosan and cellulose content that absorb substantially more water than white endosperm starch. When baking with 20% or more whole wheat, increase your hydration by 2% to 4% to maintain a supple dough consistency.