Hydration without the spreadsheet
Hydration is just water divided by flour, by weight. 350 g of water in 500 g of flour is 70 %. That single number tells you more about how a dough will feel than anything else in the recipe.
The catch is that flours do not drink the same amount. Whole grain and rye absorb far more than white flour, and two bags of the same brand can differ from one harvest to the next.
| Flour | Where I usually start |
|---|---|
| White bread flour | 65–70 % |
| Half whole wheat | 72–75 % |
| Whole wheat | 78–82 % |
| Rye (ruisleipä style) | 85 % and up |
With a new flour I start low and keep 20 g of water aside. If the dough feels tight after the first few minutes of mixing, it goes in. Adding water is easy; taking it out is impossible.
And remember to count the starter. A 100 % starter adds equal amounts of flour and water, so 100 g of it quietly raises the totals by 50 g each.