How do I calculate hydration percentage if I only know my flour and water weights?

Divide the water weight by the flour weight and multiply by 100. For example, 350g water ÷ 500g flour × 100 = 70% hydration.

What does the levain percentage field represent in the calculator?

The levain percentage is based on your total flour weight and determines how much active starter you need to inoculate the dough, factoring in your chosen feeding ratio of mother starter to flour and water.

Does the calculator account for flour that is already in my starter?

Yes, the tool includes an adjusted weight feature that adds approximately 10% extra to the levain calculation to compensate for losses when transferring the starter between containers.

Can I use this calculator for recipes that include multiple types of flour?

Absolutely. The calculator has separate fields for bread flour, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, spelt flour, and rye flour, allowing you to blend percentages across different grain types while the tool computes the combined hydration and weight totals.

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Baker's Percentage Calculator

Provided bySourdough Talksourdoughtalk.com

This free sourdough calculator uses baker's percentages to compute flour, water, salt, and levain amounts. You can ad...

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About this tool

What Baker's Percentage Calculator does

This free sourdough calculator builds your bread formula using baker's percentages. Enter your total flour weight, then set the hydration, salt, and starter percentages, and it instantly returns the exact grams of flour, water, levain, and salt, along with your total dough weight and true total hydration. Unlike most basic calculators, this one lets you blend multiple flour types, adjust hydration with precision, plan your levain based on feeding ratios, and account for inevitable losses when transferring between containers. The interface displays adjusted weights that include a 10% buffer for handling losses, and provides a clear breakdown of each ingredient's contribution to the final dough. Results update instantly as you change inputs, and the tool supports scaling the entire formula by modifying the total flour weight. You can also view the true total hydration percentage calculated from the water-to-flour ratio. The site requires no sign-up and is entirely browser-based, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced bakers looking to refine their formulas.

Step by step

How to use the Sourdough Talk Baker's Percentage Calculator

1
Enter your total flour weight in grams into the Total Flour Weight field
2
Set your desired hydration percentage (e.g., 70%, 75%, 80%) using the water percentage control
3
Adjust the salt percentage to your preferred level (typically 1.8% to 2.2%)
4
Input your levain/active starter percentage and feeding ratio to calculate the exact levain amount needed

Is it right for you

Best for

Beginner and intermediate sourdough bakers who want a quick, visual way to convert a recipe into exact gram weights while experimenting with flour blends, hydration levels, and starter quantities without manual calculation errors.

Limitations

No unit switching between grams, ounces, or cups — all inputs and outputs are in metric weights only
The 10% adjusted weight buffer is a fixed estimate and may not match every baker's actual loss rate
Advanced features like custom inclusion percentages or multi-stage levain builds are not available in this version

Questions

Baker's Percentage Calculator FAQ

How do I calculate hydration percentage if I only know my flour and water weights?: Divide the water weight by the flour weight and multiply by 100. For example, 350g water ÷ 500g flour × 100 = 70% hydration.
What does the levain percentage field represent in the calculator?: The levain percentage is based on your total flour weight and determines how much active starter you need to inoculate the dough, factoring in your chosen feeding ratio of mother starter to flour and water.
Does the calculator account for flour that is already in my starter?: Yes, the tool includes an adjusted weight feature that adds approximately 10% extra to the levain calculation to compensate for losses when transferring the starter between containers.
Can I use this calculator for recipes that include multiple types of flour?: Absolutely. The calculator has separate fields for bread flour, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, spelt flour, and rye flour, allowing you to blend percentages across different grain types while the tool computes the combined hydration and weight totals.

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