ClutchCalcs

Food & Kitchen

Sourdough Bread Calculator

Scale any sourdough recipe using baker's percentages. Enter your target dough weight or loaf count, pick hydration + starter ratio + salt, and get exact gram quantities for flour, water, starter, and salt — plus bulk fermentation timing based on temperature.

Recipe ratios (baker's %)

Total dough

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📋 Ingredients

Ingredient Grams Oz %

⏱️ Timing schedule

Estimates from autolyse to bake based on kitchen temperature.

    📖 Method (quick reference)

    1. Autolyse: Mix flour + water only. Rest 30-60 min.
    2. Mix in starter + salt: Pinch and fold to incorporate fully.
    3. Bulk ferment: 4-6 stretch-and-folds in the first 2 hours. Then rest until 50-75% volume increase.
    4. Pre-shape: Turn out, shape lightly, rest 20-30 min uncovered.
    5. Final shape: Shape tight into banneton, seam up.
    6. Cold retard: Refrigerate 12-24 hours (the magic step).
    7. Bake: 500°F preheated dutch oven, 20 min covered, 20-25 min uncovered at 450°F until 205°F internal.

    Baker's percentage explained

    In baker's math, flour is always 100%. Every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of flour weight. So a 75% hydration dough = 75g water per 100g flour. This makes scaling and recipe comparison trivial.

    When you input a starter %, that includes the flour AND water inside the starter. The calculator subtracts the starter's flour and water from the totals so you don't double-count.

    Hydration reference

    StyleHydrationCrumb textureDifficulty
    Sandwich / rustic65-70%Tight, even crumbBeginner
    Country / boule72-77%Moderately openIntermediate
    Tartine / open crumb78-82%Wide irregular holesAdvanced
    Ciabatta82-88%Glossy huge holesHard - very wet
    Focaccia85-95%Airy, dimpled topForgiving (pan baked)

    FAQ

    What is "100% hydration starter"? +
    A starter where flour and water are equal by weight. 50g flour + 50g water + active culture = 100% hydration. Most online recipes assume this. Stiff starters (50-60%) have less water and ferment slower but produce more complex flavor.
    Why does the calculator subtract starter flour from total flour? +
    If you add 200g of starter at 100% hydration, that's 100g flour + 100g water. The calculator subtracts those from the total flour and water so your final dough hits the target hydration exactly.
    Higher temp = faster bulk? +
    Yes. Bulk fermentation roughly doubles in speed for every 15°F rise. A 5-hour bulk at 70°F becomes 3 hours at 80°F. The calculator adjusts timing automatically.
    Why salt %? +
    2% is the gold standard for flavor and gluten development. Below 1.5% and bread tastes flat. Above 2.5% slows fermentation noticeably. Sourdough purists adjust by 0.1-0.2% for fine-tuning.
    What if my starter is 'sluggish'? +
    Try increasing starter % from 20% to 25-30%, or warming the dough by setting it on top of the fridge (warm zone). Both shorten bulk noticeably.
    Can I use this for whole wheat? +
    Yes — increase hydration by 3-5% because whole wheat absorbs more water. Bran cuts gluten so expect a tighter crumb regardless.
    How do I measure if I don't have a scale? +
    You can't accurately. Sourdough requires a scale — even a cheap $15 kitchen scale. Volume measurements vary 20%+ for flour depending on how packed.