Sourdough Hydration Chart: 50% to 100% Explained
📖 8 min read · Updated August 2026
By SourdoughCalc Team
Sourdough hydration is the ratio of water to flour in your dough. In the chart below, 50% means a stiff, easy dough and 100% means a wet, slack dough. Most home bakers should start at 70-75% and move up only as their shaping skills improve.
What Is Sourdough Hydration?
Hydration is the water weight divided by the flour weight, expressed as a percentage. A 75% hydration dough uses 375g of water for every 500g of flour. It is the single most important number in a sourdough recipe because it controls dough strength, crumb openness, and how the dough feels in your hands.
What Does Each Hydration Level Look Like?
| Hydration | Dough feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 50-60% | Stiff, dry, easy to shape | Bagels, pretzels, pizza |
| 65-70% | Firm but pliable | Sandwich loaves, beginners |
| 75% | Tacky, soft, holds shape | Classic sourdough loaf |
| 80-85% | Wet, needs strong gluten | Artisan open crumb |
| 90-100% | Very wet, spreads in the pan | Ciabatta, focaccia |
What Hydration Should Beginners Use?
Start at 70-75%. This range gives you a crumb that still looks like artisan bread, but the dough is firm enough to shape with basic technique. If the dough is too sticky, drop to 68% for a few bakes before working back up.
How Do You Calculate Hydration?
Use the formula: water weight divided by flour weight, multiplied by 100. For example, 375g of water with 500g of flour is 75%. Our free hydration calculator does the math for any flour weight.
Why Does High Hydration Make an Open Crumb?
More water makes the dough more extensible and the gas pockets larger during fermentation. It also requires stronger gluten, so high hydration only works well with bread flour and careful stretch and folds.
Sourdough Hydration FAQ
What hydration is best for a beginner sourdough loaf?
70-75% is the sweet spot for most beginners: wet enough for an open crumb, dry enough to shape without excessive sticking.
What does 100% hydration mean?
It means equal weights of water and flour, such as 500g of water with 500g of flour. The dough is very wet and is usually used for ciabatta or focaccia.
How do I calculate sourdough hydration?
Divide the water weight by the flour weight and multiply by 100. For example, 375g of water with 500g of flour is 75% hydration.