What Is Hydration Percentage?

The Glossary

17 Mar

The Definition

Hydration Percentage is a Baker's Percentage calculation that represents the ratio of water to flour in a recipe by weight. If a recipe calls for 1000g of flour and 750g of water, the hydration is 75%. Hydration is the primary variable controlling crumb openness—higher hydration typically creates larger holes (alveoli) but makes the dough harder to handle.

The Scale

Low Hydration (60–65%): Tight crumb, dense, easy to shape (e.g., Bagels, Sandwich loaves).
Standard Sourdough (70–75%): Balanced openness and handling.
High Hydration (80%+): "Open crumb," wild structure, difficult to shape (e.g., Ciabatta, Pan de Cristal).

Last updated: 6 January, 2026

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Baker’s MathDough ConsistencyCrumb StructureRecipe Formulation

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The Lectin Defense: Fermentation as a Chemical Shield

In the world of diet culture, lectins—specifically Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) found in whole grains—have become a villain. They are accused of binding to the gut lining, causing "Leaky Gut," and triggering systemic inflammation.

Post-Antibiotic Recovery: Rebuilding the Microbiome with Fibre Diversity

A course of broad-spectrum antibiotics is like a forest fire. It burns down the infection, but it also incinerates the "old growth forest" of your beneficial microbiome. Species like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are often collateral damage.

The Retrograde Method: Freezing and Toasting for Maximum Prebiotics

This guide details The Retrograde Method—a specific protocol of cooling, freezing, and toasting designed to manipulate starch crystals. It turns a standard slice of sourdough into a high-performance delivery system for Resistant Starch (Type 3).

Stress Baking Psychology: Mindfulness and Tactile Therapy

"Stress baking" is often dismissed as a quirky coping mechanism or procrastination. But psychologists and occupational therapists view it differently. They see it as a legitimate form of sensory regulation.

Enzymatic Shearing: How Protease Cuts Gluten (The Scissors)

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Meet The Yeast: The Sprinter vs. The Marathon Runner

In the world of baking, the word "yeast" is used carelessly. We treat the beige granules in a packet and the wild population in a sourdough starter as if they are the same organism just living at different speeds. They are not.

Sugar Hunters: How Amylase Unlocks the Grain

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The Invisible War: Phages

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The Ear: The Physics of Differential Expansion

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What Is Hydration Percentage?

The Definition

The Scale

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The Pact: Sourdough Protocols

Explore the science

The Body

The Microbes

The Method

The Ingredients

The Chemistry

Join The Resistance.

They Bake for Aesthetics. We bake for biology 💁‍♀️.

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH

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CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH |

The Pact

The Protocol

The Science

The Glossary

The Resistance

What Is Hydration Percentage?

The Definition

The Scale

What Is Bassinage?

Meet The Yeast: The Sprinter vs. The Marathon Runner

Get the app

The Pact: Sourdough Protocols

Explore the science

The Body

The Microbes

The Method

The Ingredients

The Chemistry

Join The Resistance.

They Bake for Aesthetics. We bake for biology 💁‍♀️.

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH

|

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH | CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH |

The Pact

The Protocol

The Science

The Glossary

The Resistance

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR STEWARDS OF SOURDOUGH |