Hydration × flour

70% Hydration Organic Bread Flour

Medium cells with some larger bubbles. Noticeable holes appearing. Chewy, moist, balanced.

✓ Within Organic Bread Flour's workable range (6477%)

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Is 70% hydration right for Organic Bread Flour?

Organic Bread Flour's workable hydration range is 6477%. Its absorption multiplier is 0.99× bread flour. At 70%, you are in the sweet spot — the dough will handle predictably and produce the crumb described above.

Absorption math for Organic Bread Flour at 70%

A recipe written for bread flour at 70% hydration, when substituted with 100% Organic Bread Flour, becomes 69% effective hydration (because Organic Bread Flour absorbs 1% less water). Same as conventional bread flour but allow 2-3% more proofing time (slightly weaker gluten on some batches). Autolyse 45-60 min. 3-4 stretch-and-folds.

Technique at 70% hydration

Dough becomes visibly softer and stickier. Use wet hands or bench scraper. Starts requiring more careful handling to avoid degassing. Autolyse 45-60 min helps develop structure.

Worked water math for a 500 g batch

Organic Bread Flour ingredient weights for 500 g flour at 70% hydration
Organic Bread Flour500 g (100%)
Water350 g (70%)
Salt10 g (2%)

Add your levain on top of these weights; the calculator below subtracts the flour and water it already contributes so the bench numbers land at 70% exactly.

What Organic Bread Flour gives you at 70%

At 70% hydration you can expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. A medium dough: three to four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first two hours build the structure, and a light dusting of flour is enough for shaping. It handles predictably.

Organic Bread Flour at 70% — FAQ

How much water do I use for Organic Bread Flour at 70% hydration?

Multiply the flour weight by 0.7. For a 500 g batch of Organic Bread Flour that's 350 g water, plus about 10 g salt (2%). Organic Bread Flour absorbs 0.99× as much water as white bread flour, so it behaves close to a straight bread-flour dough.

Is 70% hydration right for Organic Bread Flour?

Yes — Organic Bread Flour's workable range is 64–77%, and 70% sits inside it, so the dough handles predictably and gives an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew.

What crumb will Organic Bread Flour at 70% give me?

Expect an open, custardy crumb with irregular holes and good chew. Medium cells with some larger bubbles. Noticeable holes appearing. Chewy, moist, balanced.

Is Organic Bread Flour at 70% beginner-friendly?

This hydration is rated intermediate. A medium dough: three to four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first two hours build the structure, and a light dusting of flour is enough for shaping. It handles predictably.

Calculator pre-set to 70%

Weights below assume 100% Organic Bread Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.

Flour to add
450 g
Water to add
300 g
Salt
10 g
Levain @ 100%
100 g
Total dough
860 g
Effective hydration
70%
How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 70% hydration guide →

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

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  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lame

    A sharp lame scores clean ears — the cut that decides whether the loaf opens up or bursts at the side.

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  • Bench scraper

    Steel scraper handles wet, sticky high-hydration dough without tearing the gluten you just built.

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  • High-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

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  • Danish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

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🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

As an Amazon Associate, SourdoughHydration earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. More on how this is funded.

Sources: King Arthur Baking — Organic Bread Flour specs; Hamelman, Bread (3rd ed.); Robertson, Tartine Bread.