Understanding Sourdough Hydration: What the Percentages Mean

Hydration is one of the most discussed concepts in sourdough baking, and understanding it unlocks the ability to adjust recipes and control your bread texture. It is simpler than it sounds once you grasp the basics.

What Hydration Means

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour expressed as a percentage. If you use 350g of water with 500g of flour, the hydration is 70% (350 divided by 500). This calculation helps bakers communicate and compare recipes regardless of batch size.

Higher hydration means a wetter, stickier dough that produces a more open crumb with larger holes. Lower hydration creates a tighter, more uniform crumb that is easier to handle. Most sourdough recipes fall between 65-85% hydration.

Low Hydration: 60-70%

Dough at 65% hydration is relatively firm and easy to shape. It produces bread with a tighter, more sandwich-friendly crumb. Focaccia-style flatbreads and enriched doughs often sit in this range.

Beginners should start around 68-70% hydration. This is wet enough for a good crumb but manageable enough to handle without advanced techniques. As your confidence grows, gradually increase hydration.

Medium Hydration: 70-78%

The sweet spot for most sourdough bakers is 72-75% hydration. This range balances a beautiful open crumb with reasonable workability. Most bakery-style sourdough loaves are baked at this hydration level.

At 75% hydration, you need proper technique — good stretch and folds, bench rest, and shaping with intention. The dough is sticky but manageable once you develop a feel for it. Wet hands or a bench knife are your best tools.

High Hydration: 78-90%

High hydration doughs (80%+) produce the wild, open crumb with large irregular holes that bakers love to photograph. However, they require excellent gluten development, confident handling, and strong shaping skills.

Ciabatta-style breads and some artisan loaves push toward 85-90% hydration. At these levels, the dough behaves more like a thick batter. Coil folds and lamination replace traditional kneading methods for gluten development.

What to Remember

The techniques and knowledge shared here build the foundation for consistent, rewarding results. Whether you are just starting out or refining your craft, focusing on fundamentals always pays dividends.

Start with what interests you most, practice deliberately, and do not be afraid to experiment. Every batch teaches you something new, and the journey of improvement is what makes this pursuit so engaging.