Extreme 88% Hydration Sourdough (1000g Flour): 781g Base + 87g Bassinage (2-Loaf Batch)
Ciabatta-style 88% formula on 1000g flour (2090g batch) with 87g bassinage staging and -12g starter deduction.
Mixing 1000g unbleached flour, 880g water, and 200g liquid starter pushes real hydration to 89.1% (+1.1% overshoot) across 1100g total grain. Measuring 868g corrected water (781g autolyse + 87g bassinage), 200g levain, and 22g salt removes 12g excess water and locks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 868gLocks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%, -12g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 880gPushes True Hydration to 89.1% (+1.1% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 200g / 22g100g hidden flour + 100g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 5 / 5 StarsExtreme / Wet Handling (Extreme extensibility)
Starter Inoculation & Water Deduction Table Around 1000g Flour @ 88%
Pre-computed gram weights around 1000g main flour where 868g water locks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (88% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 950g @ 86% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 950g + 72g = 1022g (88%/1000g ref) | 143g (72gF/71gW @ 100%) | 808g W (vs 817g app @ R1) | 20.4g salt (1901g dough) | 86.9% drift → 86.01% (86% goal) |
| 1000g @ 86% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 1000g + 100g = 1100g (88%/1000g ref) | 180g (100gF/80gW @ 80%) | 866g W (vs 860g app @ R2) | 22.0g salt (2046g dough) | 85.5% drift → 86.0% (86% goal) |
| 1000g @ 88% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 1000g + 100g = 1100g (88%/1000g ref) | 200g (100gF/100gW @ 100%) | 868g W (vs 880g app @ R3) | 22.0g salt (2068g dough) | 89.1% drift → 88.0% (88% goal) |
| 1000g @ 90% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 1000g + 110g = 1110g (88%/1000g ref) | 220g (110gF/110gW @ 100%) | 889g W (vs 900g app @ R4) | 22.2g salt (2109g dough) | 91.0% drift → 90.0% (90% goal) |
| 1050g @ 90% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 1050g + 117g = 1167g (88%/1000g ref) | 263g (117gF/146gW @ 125%) | 904g W (vs 945g app @ R5) | 23.3g salt (2217g dough) | 93.5% drift → 89.97% (90% goal) |
Interactive Hydration × Flour Weight Formula Calculator
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Bassinage Mechanics for 1000g Flour at 88% Hydration (868g Water)
Hydrating 1000g flour with 880g water plus 200g starter forces 1100g total flour to absorb 980g water (89.1%). Staging 781g autolyse water and 87g bassinage water (868g total, -12g deduction) with 22g salt in your 2090g dough locks True Total Hydration at 88.0% (target 88%).
In this 2090g (2-Loaf Batch) build at 88.0% (target 88%), free-water mobility (5/5 tack, Extreme / Wet Handling) depends on staging 868g water into 781g initial soak and 87g post-levain splash alongside 200g starter and 22g sea salt.
4-Stage Autolyse, Bassinage & Coil-Fold Workflow for 1000g Flour at 88%
- Pre-Ferment & 781g Autolyse (1000g Flour): Verify 200g levain is domed, then soak 1000g flour in 781g water for 40–50 min.
- Rubaud Emulsification (868g Total Main Water): Rubaud-mix 200g starter (100gF/100gW), 22g salt, and 87g reserved water into the 2090g mass (88%).
- Alveolar Structuring (88.0% True Moisture): Execute 4 coil folds spaced 30 min apart to manage extreme stretch on 1100g flour.
- Retardation & Scoring (2-Loaf Batch / 2090g): Preshape, tension-stitch into a rice-floured liner, chill 12–16 hrs at 38°F, and bake at 450°F.
Frequently Asked Questions for This Hydration × Flour Weight Formula Spec
Is 88% hydration too wet for 1000g of bread flour?
At 88% (868g water on 1000g flour, 2090g batch), require 13.2%–14.9% high-gluten flour plus 781g autolyse and 87g bassinage staging to hold 88.0%.
How does 781g autolyse water improve a 1000g loaf at 88%?
Soaking 1000g flour in 781g water for 45 minutes before adding 200g acidic starter, 22g salt, and 87g water (868g total) builds slack elasticity across the 2090g dough.
How much starter and salt go into 1000g flour at 88% hydration?
At 20% inoculation and 2% total-flour salt, combine 1000g flour with 200g active starter (100gF + 100gW), 868g water, and 22g salt (2% of 1100g total flour) for a 2090g batch.