Levain hydration counts toward total dough hydration. This calculator separates levain (starter) flour + water from final-dough flour + water so the overall % hits your target exactly.
Total dough weight
0 g
Effective hydration
0%
Loaves @ 700 g
0
🧫 Levain (mix the night before)
Flour0 g
Water0 g
Starter (use ~10% of levain weight)0 g
Total levain0 g
🥖 Final dough (next morning)
Bread flour0 g
Water0 g
Salt0 g
+ levain (from above)0 g
Total final dough0 g
Tips
Beginner-friendly: 70–72% hydration with bread flour.
Open crumb: 75–78% hydration with high-protein bread flour.
Whole-grain: add 5–10% to hydration — flour absorbs more.
Levain at 100% hydration = equal flour + water. The 50:50 contribution gets reflected in the effective total.