If you bake sourdough bread, you know that precision in grams is everything.
Too much water — the dough spreads. Not enough salt — the flavor is "flat". Too much starter — over-fermentation.
This online sourdough bread calculator helps you quickly calculate your recipe using baker's percentages: water, salt, and the amount of starter. You only need to enter the amount of flour — the system will calculate the rest automatically.
It is perfect for:
- wheat bread
- rye bread
- pan loaves
- country bread
- high-hydration experiments
How to Use the Calculator
- Enter the total amount of flour in grams.
- Choose your dough hydration (or set your own).
- Specify the starter percentage.
- If necessary, change the starter hydration (usually 100%).
- Get the exact amount of water, salt, and starter.
The calculator automatically accounts for the water and flour already contained in the starter — this allows you to get the correct final hydration of the dough.
What is Dough Hydration?
Hydration is the percentage of water relative to the flour.
For example:
- 60–65% — stiff pan loaf dough
- 70–75% — classic wheat bread
- 80% and above — open porous crumb
The higher the hydration, the more airy and "holy" the bread structure will be. But such dough is also more difficult to work with.
What are Baker's Percentages
Baker's percentages are a method of calculating a recipe where flour is taken as 100%. All other ingredients are calculated relative to it:
- water — 70%
- salt — 2%
- starter — 20%
This method allows you to easily scale the recipe: for 500g of flour, 1kg, or 5kg — the proportions remain correct. This is exactly the system professional bakers use.
Why Account for Starter Hydration
Most homemade starters have a hydration of 100%. This means it contains:
- 50% flour
- 50% water
If you don't take this into account in your calculations, you can accidentally change the real hydration of the dough. Our calculator automatically subtracts water and flour from the starter — so the result is accurate.
Who is this Calculator For?
- beginner bakers
- those who want to experiment with hydration
- those who recalculate recipes for a different amount of flour
- those who bake with their own sourdough starter
If you already bake bread at home, this tool will significantly simplify your calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What hydration is best for wheat bread? The optimal range is 68–75%. Beginners should start with 70%.
- How much starter to add? Usually 15–25% of the flour weight. More means faster fermentation. Less means longer and milder flavor.
- What is the norm for salt? The classic is 1.8–2.2% of the flour weight.