70% hydration sourdough
The hydration most home bakers settle on for good reason — open enough to look the part, tame enough to handle on a normal weekday. The dependable default.
Pre-set to 70% — change the flour or starter and the water re-solves. Unlock hydration to explore other targets.
Show the math
- Locked at 70% and starter-aware — the water shown already subtracts the water in your starter.
- Adjust flour, starter or salt for your batch; copy or print the result.
Baking at 70% hydration
How a 70% dough handles
At 70% the dough is tacky but not sticky — it clings lightly to your fingers and releases cleanly off a lightly floured bench. It has enough slack to develop a nice open structure yet still holds a shape when you build tension in it. This is the range where most people stop fighting their dough and start enjoying it, which is exactly why it is the everyday default.
Flour and crumb
Bread flour is ideal at 70%, though a strong all-purpose will cope. The crumb lands in the middle: moderately open with a mix of small and medium holes, soft but with structure. It is the loaf that looks great cut open and still makes a fine sandwich the next day — a genuine all-rounder rather than a specialist.
Technique notes
Three sets of stretch-and-folds in the first 90 minutes build plenty of strength. Timing is forgiving here, so 70% is the perfect place to practise reading your dough — learning what a properly bulk-fermented dough feels like before you move up to wetter, less-forgiving hydrations.
70% hydration sourdough FAQ
Is 70% hydration high for sourdough?
No — 70% is a comfortable middle. It is wet enough for an open-ish crumb but dry enough to shape without a fight, which is why so many bakers treat it as their default.
Should I move from 65% to 70%?
It is the natural next step. Once you can shape a 65% dough confidently, 70% gives you a more open crumb for very little extra difficulty. Change one thing at a time and watch how the dough feels.
What flour is best at 70% hydration?
Bread flour (around 12% protein) is ideal. Strong all-purpose works too, especially if you add a set of folds to build extra strength.