# Sourdough Calculator

> Enter flour weight, desired hydration, and starter percentage to get all ingredient amounts

**Category:** Food
**Keywords:** sourdough, bread, baking, hydration, starter, levain, flour, water, salt, recipe
**URL:** https://complete.tools/sourdough-calculator

## Understanding baker's percentages

Baker's percentages use flour as the base (100%). All other ingredients are expressed relative to flour:

- **Hydration (75%)**: For 500g flour, you need 375g of total water
- **Starter (20%)**: For 500g flour, you need 100g of starter
- **Salt (2%)**: For 500g flour, you need 10g of salt

The water in your starter contributes to total hydration, so this calculator accounts for that automatically (assuming 100% hydration starter — equal parts flour and water by weight).

## Hydration levels explained

Hydration affects the texture, crust, and crumb of your bread:

- **65–70%**: Lower hydration, easier to handle, denser crumb — good for beginners
- **72–78%**: Medium hydration, balanced workability and open crumb — most popular range
- **80–85%**: High hydration, sticky and challenging to shape, very open crumb
- **85%+**: Extreme hydration, used by experienced bakers for ciabatta-style loaves

If you're new to sourdough, start at 72–75% hydration and work up as you develop feel for the dough.

## Starter percentage guidance

The amount of starter (also called levain or inoculation rate) affects fermentation speed and flavor:

- **10–15%**: Slower rise, more sour, better for overnight cold fermentation
- **20–25%**: Standard range, flexible timing, balanced flavor
- **30–50%**: Faster rise, milder flavor, good for warmer kitchens or quick bakes

Most home bakers use 15–25% starter. Hotter kitchen temperatures call for less starter to avoid over-proofing.

## How to use

1. Enter your target flour weight in grams (try 500g for a standard loaf)
2. Set your desired hydration using the slider or input field
3. Set your starter percentage — 20% is a good default
4. Adjust salt percentage if needed (1.8–2.2% is standard)
5. Click Calculate Ingredients to see all measurements
6. Measure each ingredient on a kitchen scale for best results

## FAQs

**Q:** Why does the calculator show "added water" instead of total water?


**A:** Your starter already contains water (assuming 100% hydration starter, it's half flour, half water). The calculator subtracts the water already in your starter so you don't add too much.


**Q:** What if my starter isn't 100% hydration?


**A:** Most home bakers maintain 100% hydration starter (equal parts flour and water by weight). If yours is stiffer or wetter, the total water will be slightly off — adjust by a few grams until the dough feels right.


**Q:** Can I use this for whole wheat or rye flour?


**A:** Yes. Enter the total flour weight regardless of flour type. Keep in mind whole grain flours absorb more water, so you may want to reduce hydration by 5–10% for your first attempt.


**Q:** How do I scale this recipe?


**A:** Just change the flour weight. Everything scales proportionally — that's the power of baker's percentages.


**Q:** What's a good starter-to-flour ratio for overnight cold fermentation?


**A:** Use 10–15% starter, mix in the evening, and cold ferment in the fridge for 12–16 hours. This develops more complex sour flavor.

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