Autolyse Calculator
Autolyse is the flour + water rest before adding salt and levain. The table below shows the water weights for common flour amounts at 70-85% hydration targets.
Autolyse water by flour weight
| Flour (g) | 70% water | 75% water | 80% water | 85% water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | 175 | 188 | 200 | 213 |
| 500 | 350 | 375 | 400 | 425 |
| 750 | 525 | 563 | 600 | 638 |
| 1000 | 700 | 750 | 800 | 850 |
Use 90% of total recipe water for autolyse; reserve 10% for incorporating salt and levain afterward. Mix flour + autolyse water, rest, then add remaining water + salt + levain.
How long to autolyse?
- Bread flour: 30-45 min. Extends gluten, reduces mix time.
- Whole wheat: 60-90 min. Bran needs time to hydrate.
- Rye (any): Skip autolyse. Mix once and rest; autolyse damages rye structure.
- Spelt / einkorn: 15-20 min max. Ancient-wheat gluten degrades quickly.
- Type 00: 15-20 min. Fine grind hydrates fast.