Hydration × flour
72% Hydration Medium Rye Flour
Increasingly open crumb, medium-to-large cells. Classic Pain au Levain territory. Chewy crust with moist interior.
⚠ Outside Medium Rye Flour's typical range (80–95%) — read below for handling
Is 72% hydration right for Medium Rye Flour?
Medium Rye Flour's workable hydration range is 80–95%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.08× bread flour. 72% is below Medium Rye Flour's typical range. The dough will be stiff and hard to fully develop. Consider moving up to 80% for better extensibility.
Absorption math for Medium Rye Flour at 72%
A recipe written for bread flour at 72% hydration, when substituted with 100% Medium Rye Flour, becomes 78% effective hydration (because Medium Rye Flour absorbs 8% more water). Do NOT knead rye dough (tears pentosan structure). Mix to incorporate, then rest. Very short bulk ferment (2-3 hours at 76°F) — rye ferments fast. Wet hands for shaping. Use a pan or tight banneton. Bake at higher initial temp (500°F) for 15 minutes, then reduce. Internal temp 205-210°F for doneness.
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.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Medium Rye Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 360 g (72%) |
| Salt | 10 g (2%) |
Add your levain on top of these weights; the calculator below subtracts the flour and water it already contributes so the bench numbers land at 72% exactly.
What Medium Rye Flour gives you at 72%
At 72% hydration you can expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. A slack, sticky dough: work with wet hands, use coil folds rather than aggressive stretches, give a full bench rest after pre-shaping, and shape decisively — hesitation lets it spread.
Medium Rye Flour at 72% — FAQ
How much water do I use for Medium Rye Flour at 72% hydration?
Multiply the flour weight by 0.72. For a 500 g batch of Medium Rye Flour that's 360 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Medium Rye Flour absorbs 1.08× as much water as white bread flour, so it will feel a touch stiffer than the 72% number suggests.
Is 72% hydration right for Medium Rye Flour?
72% is below Medium Rye Flour's usual 80–95% range — the dough will be stiff and hard to develop. Move up toward 80% for better extensibility.
What crumb will Medium Rye Flour at 72% give me?
Expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. Increasingly open crumb, medium-to-large cells. Classic Pain au Levain territory. Chewy crust with moist interior.
Is Medium Rye Flour at 72% beginner-friendly?
This hydration is rated intermediate. A slack, sticky dough: work with wet hands, use coil folds rather than aggressive stretches, give a full bench rest after pre-shaping, and shape decisively — hesitation lets it spread.
Calculator pre-set to 72%
Weights below assume 100% Medium Rye 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.
The gear that makes the math work
A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.
- Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)View on Amazon →
- Dutch oven / combo cookerView on Amazon →
- Banneton proofing basketView on Amazon →
- Bread lameView on Amazon →
- Bench scraperView on Amazon →
- High-protein bread flourView on Amazon →
- Danish dough whiskView on Amazon →
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