Total Hydration Calculator

This preset is tuned for total hydration calculator. The calculator above starts with the preset values, but every field remains editable so you can keep the page as a starting point instead of a fixed recipe. The example on this page uses 600g flour, 420g water, 150g starter at 100%. and explains the resulting weights without changing the calculator logic.

Sourdough hydration can be confusing because a starter or levain already contains flour and water. This calculator separates the measured starter into its internal flour and water, then adds those amounts to the main formula totals. That gives you a total hydration number that reflects the whole dough, not only the water poured into the bowl.

Use the Add to bowl section for weighing: main flour, added water, starter, and salt. Use the Starter split and Formula totals sections for interpretation. The split is not an extra ingredient list; it is the accounting that explains why the total hydration can differ from the simple added-water percentage.

This is useful when comparing recipes that report hydration differently. Some recipes mean added water divided by main flour. Others include levain flour and levain water. DoughMath shows both concepts where possible so you can adjust water without accidentally double-counting the starter.