You just started your sourdough journey and everyone keeps talking about Sourdough Hydration, but what is it? In this post, I'll explain everything you need to know about sourdough hydration. You'll know how to calculate it, what it is, and what it does to your sourdough bread.
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Starting sourdough can be a confusing time. There are so many sourdough tools that people say you need, and there are lots of sourdough terms that you should become familiar with, hydration being one of them.
I am going to explain hydration to you so you have a better understanding of it. You can definitely make sourdough bread without knowing the ins and outs of hydration, but understanding the different terms helps troubleshoot and really get to know how to make sourdough bread.
My favorite sourdough bread is my Dutch oven sourdough bread. It has a 75% hydration, it's not too sticky, and it has nice holes in the dough that you can use for sandwiches or spread butter on. It's a great beginner bread recipe and it bakes up perfectly every time!
Head over to our sourdough Facebook page and tell me what your favorite sourdough bread hydration is.
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What is Sourdough Hydration?
Hydration in sourdough refers to the ratio of water to flour in your dough. When it is explained, it is expressed in percentage.
For example, if a recipe calls for 500 grams of flour and 350 grams of water, the hydration level is 70% (350 divided by 500 times 100 to make it a percentage). Hydration levels can influences the texture, flavor, and overall way that your sourdough behaves and bakes.
Hydration in Your Sourdough Starter
Once you have a sourdough starter, hydration is important in that to. You can make your own sourdough starter, buy one, or get one from a friend.
I like to keep a 100% hydration sourdough. That means I feed my sourdough starter equal parts water, flour, and leftover starter. This gives my starter a batter like consistency, has a good mixture of yeast and wild bacteria, and helps my bread rise in about 8 hours.
You can do a lower hydration starter which is known as a stiff starter. This is a good type of starter if you don't plan on baking much. It has more of a dough-like consistency and it promotes a pretty strong sour flavor because the fermentation takes longer. Just be careful because it can be difficult to mix this type of starter into your bread dough as it is so stiff.
Experiment a little and see what is best for you and your family.
Why Is Hydration Important?
Since there are only usually 4 ingredients in your sourdough bread, each is so important. The water to flour ratio might be the most important part as it effects so many things in sourdough.
Texture: Higher hydration doughs result in more open crumb structures with larger holes, what you would see in a lot of artisan breads. Lower hydration doughs will give you a denser, more uniform crumb structures.
Flavor: More water means a longer fermentation period. A higher fermentation period means that the sour flavor will be more pronounced than if you don't let it ferment very long.
Handling: High hydration doughs can be sticky and a little more difficult to work with, while lower hydration doughs are firmer and easier to shape.
Crust: Higher hydration levels usually result in a thinner, crisper crust, whereas lower hydration doughs tend to have a thicker, chewier crusts.
What Type of Hydration Is Best For What Type of Bread?
Low Hydration (50%-60%): Ideal for more structured breads like sourdough sandwich bread. These doughs are easier to handle and shape. As you can see in the picture below, the crumb is tighter and doesn't have the large air holes.
Medium Hydration (60%-70%): Common in everyday sourdough baking, offering a balance between ease of handling and a desirable crumb structure. As you can see in the picture below, there are more air bubbles and a more open crumb.
High Hydration (70%-85%): Used for breads like ciabatta and sourdough focaccia, resulting in a very open crumb but don't require you to handle the dough very much. That's because the dough is very sticky due to the amount of water in the dough.
Lynn's Tip!
When starting out, it's best to experiment a little and figure out what type of bread you enjoy working with and eating the most.
How Do I Calculate Hydration Percentage?
I've created this simple hydration chart for you, but if you would like to calculate it on your own or are unsure of the hydration in a loaf of bread, you divide the water by the flour. For example, if your recipe calls for 500 grams of flour and 300 grams of water, the hydration is 60%.
How To Adjust Hydration In Your Bread
Adjusting hydration in your sourdough is all about tweaking the amount of water you add to the flour.
If you want to increase the hydration, just add a bit more water to your dough. Start small—add about 10-20 grams of water for every 500 grams of flour, and mix it in well. This way, you can avoid making the dough too wet and sticky. If it does get too sticky, lightly dust your work surface and hands with flour instead of adding more flour to the dough itself, so you don’t mess up the hydration balance.
To decrease hydration, add more flour to the dough in small amounts, like 10-20 grams per 500 grams of water. Mix it in thoroughly each time you add more. Keep an eye on the dough’s texture and adjust until it feels right. This method is great if your dough is too wet and hard to handle.
How Flours Effect Hydration
Bread Flour: Bread flour has a high protein content (12-14%), which is great for gluten development and soaking up water. This means it usually needs a medium to high hydration level, somewhere between 65% and 80%. Dough made with bread flour is strong, stretchy, and bakes up with a good structure and nice oven spring.
For standard sourdough loaves, aim for a hydration level of 65%-70%. If you want those big, airy holes in artisan bread, go higher (70%-80%), but be prepared for a stickier dough that’s a bit trickier to handle.
All Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour has a lower protein content (10-12%), so it doesn’t need quite as much water as bread flour, typically falling between 60% and 75%. Dough made with all-purpose flour is a bit less elastic and might be denser. If you’re just starting out, a hydration level of 60%-65% is perfect because it’s easier to manage.
For a more open crumb and more experienced bakers, try a higher hydration level (65%-75%), but expect a stickier dough that needs more skill to work with.
Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat flour is packed with protein and fiber, so it absorbs a lot of water, needing a hydration level between 75% and 85%. Dough made with whole wheat flour is denser and less stretchy, often requiring more fermentation time and extra water to get the right consistency.
For most whole wheat sourdough recipes, stick to a hydration level of 75%-80% to keep the dough workable. If you want a lighter crumb and better rise, especially with a high percentage of whole wheat, go for 80%-85% hydration.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have found that the easiest bread to handle for beginners is between 60-70% hydration.
Lower hydration bread is firmer and easier to handle. It also bakes into a tighter crumb, so it's great to spread butter onto and also use as sandwich bread.
Hydration affects the dough's texture, crumb structure, crust, and fermentation speed. Higher hydration results in a more open crumb and thinner crust, while lower hydration yields a denser crumb and thicker crust. It's important to know hydration in order to bake up the type of bread you would like.
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