Every flour absorbs differently. Enter flour weight, water and optional sourdough or poolish - the calculator returns hydration percentage, baker percentage breakdown and tells you what that level means for your bread.
What hydration is 650 g of water to 1 kg of flour?
Every flour absorbs differently. Enter flour weight, water and optional sourdough or poolish - the calculator returns hydration percentage, baker percentage breakdown and tells you what that level means for your bread.
Hydration is water divided by flour, and nothing else. Put 650 grams of water against a kilo of flour and the percentage falls straight out. It is stated as a percentage of the flour rather than of the whole dough, which is why a figure above 100 percent is possible and not a mistake, though it is rare outside very wet rye doughs.
What the number predicts is how the dough behaves in your hands. Below about 60 percent a dough is firm, holds its shape and is easy to shape into rolls or a sandwich loaf. Between 65 and 75 percent it turns slack and sticky, needs folds rather than kneading, and starts producing the open irregular crumb people are usually chasing. Above 80 percent it stops behaving like dough at all until it has been developed properly, and a beginner will usually add flour and undo the whole point of it.
Flour type matters as much as the number. Strong bread flour absorbs noticeably more water than all-purpose, and whole grain more again, so 650 grams against a kilo can feel workable with one flour and soupy with another. If you use a sourdough starter or a poolish, the water inside it counts too, and the calculator has a field for exactly that, because leaving it out is the commonest way of quoting a hydration that is several points lower than the dough you actually made.
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The hydration atlas for bread bakers
Hydration percentage is the single number that defines a bread's texture. At 55% you get bagels - dense, chewy, easy to shape. At 80% you get ciabatta - open crumb, wet and sticky, nearly impossible for beginners. The calculator splits your recipe into total flour and total water (including the flour and water hidden inside sourdough or poolish) and returns the exact hydration level with a classification band.
Bread type atlas - hydration by product
Where each bread falls on the hydration scale:
| Bread type | Hydration | Texture / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh pasta | 45-50% | Very stiff, eggs provide some liquid |
| Bagels | 55-58% | Dense, chewy, boiled before baking |
| Pretzels | 55-60% | Firm, smooth, holds shape well |
| Dinner rolls | 58-62% | Soft but structured, enriched with butter/eggs |
| Sandwich bread | 62-66% | Standard loaf, tight crumb, easy to slice |
| French baguette | 65-68% | Thin crust, moderately open crumb |
| Sourdough country loaf | 70-75% | Open crumb, moist, needs stretch-and-fold |
| Focaccia | 75-80% | Wet, oily, large irregular holes |
| Ciabatta | 80-85% | Very wet, huge holes, flat shape, needs experience |
| 100% rye bread | 80-90% | Dense, moist, rye absorbs far more water than wheat |
Classification bands
Flour absorption guide
Different flours absorb water differently. The same recipe may need hydration adjustments when switching flour types:
| Flour type | Typical hydration | Absorption notes |
|---|---|---|
| White bread flour (12-13% protein) | 65-72% | Baseline - most recipes assume this flour |
| All-purpose flour (10-11%) | 60-68% | Less protein = less water absorption, reduce by 3-5% |
| Whole wheat flour | 70-80% | Bran absorbs extra water - add 5-10% more than white |
| Rye flour (dark) | 75-90% | Pentosans absorb 8x their weight - needs much more water |
| Spelt flour | 58-65% | Weak gluten - reduce hydration, handle gently |
| Semolina (durum) | 55-62% | High protein but coarse grind - absorbs slowly, rest is key |
Practical examples
Hydration: 65.0% - medium, standard sandwich loaf
Hydration: 74.5% - high, open crumb, needs stretch-and-fold
Hydration: 55.0% - low, stiff and easy to shape
Hydration: 87.5% (with oil) - very wet, pool in an oiled pan
Hydration: 71.1% - high end of medium, crisp crust
FAQ
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Calculator verified by the LiczGrupa.pl team
Content, formulas and results have been reviewed for accuracy and relevance by our team of specialists.
Reviewed by: Krystian Szyszka