Hydration × flour
72% Hydration Bread Flour
Increasingly open crumb, medium-to-large cells. Classic Pain au Levain territory. Chewy crust with moist interior.
✓ Within Bread Flour's workable range (65–78%)
Is 72% hydration right for Bread Flour?
Bread Flour's workable hydration range is 65–78%. Its absorption multiplier is 1× bread flour. At 72%, you are in the sweet spot — the dough will handle predictably and produce the crumb described above.
Absorption math for Bread Flour at 72%
A recipe written for bread flour at 72% hydration, when substituted with 100% Bread Flour, becomes 72% effective hydration (because Bread Flour matches bread flour absorption). Autolyse 30-60 minutes with water at target dough temperature before adding levain and salt. For 75-80% hydration, add 3-4 sets of stretch-and-folds over the first 2 hours of bulk. Higher hydration (82%+) benefits from coil folds instead of stretch-and-folds. Shape cold (after overnight retard) for easier handling and better ear.
Technique at 72% hydration
Dough requires strong gluten development (3-4 stretch-and-folds or coil folds). Shaping benefits from cold retard. Handle with wet hands or flour-dusted bench scraper.
Calculator pre-set to 72%
Weights below assume 100% Bread Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 310 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 870 g
- Effective hydration
- 72%
How the math works
Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.
Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.