Country 75% Sourdough Formula for 300g Flour: 218g Water & 60g Levain (1 Small Boule)
True 75.15% vs 77.3% apparent breakdown for 300g flour (585g 1 small boule, -7g water cut).
Scaling a 300g sourdough build to 75% with 60g 1:1:1 levain means an unadjusted 225g water pour drifts to 77.3% (+2.3% excess) from 30g hidden liquid and 30g fermented flour. Weighing 218g main water (-7g offset) plus 6.6g sea salt locks True Total Hydration at 75.15% (target 75%) across a 585g loaf.
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 218gLocks True Total Hydration at 75.15% (target 75%, -7g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 225gPushes True Hydration to 77.3% (+2.3% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 60g / 6.6g30g hidden flour + 30g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 3 / 5 StarsModerate (High extensibility)
Starter Inoculation & Water Deduction Table Around 300g Flour @ 75%
System flour (330g) and total water (248g) mass-balance rows around 300g flour at 75% (75.15%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (75% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250g @ 73% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 250g + 19g = 269g (75%/300g ref) | 38g (19gF/19gW @ 100%) | 177g W (vs 183g app @ R1) | 5.4g salt (465g dough) | 75.1% drift → 72.86% (73% goal) |
| 300g @ 73% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 300g + 30g = 330g (75%/300g ref) | 54g (30gF/24gW @ 80%) | 217g W (vs 219g app @ R2) | 6.6g salt (571g dough) | 73.6% drift → 73.03% (73% goal) |
| 300g @ 75% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 300g + 30g = 330g (75%/300g ref) | 60g (30gF/30gW @ 100%) | 218g W (vs 225g app @ R3) | 6.6g salt (578g dough) | 77.3% drift → 75.15% (75% goal) |
| 300g @ 77% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 300g + 33g = 333g (75%/300g ref) | 66g (33gF/33gW @ 100%) | 223g W (vs 231g app @ R4) | 6.7g salt (589g dough) | 79.3% drift → 76.88% (77% goal) |
| 350g @ 77% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 350g + 39g = 389g (75%/300g ref) | 88g (39gF/49gW @ 125%) | 251g W (vs 270g app @ R5) | 7.8g salt (689g dough) | 82.0% drift → 77.12% (77% goal) |
On-Bench Hydration & Fermentation Adjuster
Modify base flour mass, levain inoculation, or ambient kitchen temperature below to recalculate from this 218g baseline.
Open Crumb & Gluten Physics at 75% Hydration (300g Flour + 218g Water)
Gravimetric auditing of 300g flour plus 60g starter shows 330g total dry base and 248g target water for 75% hydration. Because the levain already supplies 30g water, cutting 225g by 7g down to 218g (with 6.6g salt in a 585g batch) locks True Total Hydration at 75.15% (target 75%).
When 300g flour is mixed to 75% (75.15%) using 218g water, 60g levain, and 6.6g salt (585g total), reserving 22g water from the 196g autolyse keeps dough stickiness at 3/5 instead of drifting to 77.3%.
Rheological Handling Guide (3/5 Tack) for 300g Flour at 75%
- Initial Water Binding (196g W on 300g F): Hydrate 300g flour using 196g water (leaving 22g for stage 2 of 218g) for 45 min.
- Levain & Salinity Lock (60g Starter + 6.6g Salt): Fold in 60g 100% starter and 6.6g salt with 22g water, avoiding 225g (77.3%) drift.
- Fold Cadence for 75% (3/5 Stickiness): Space 4 wet-hand tuck-and-folds across 2 hours to reinforce the 585g (330g flour) network.
- Final Proof & Oven Spring (1 Small Boule): Cut bulk at +50% aliquot rise, cold-retard at 38°F overnight, and steam-bake in heavy cast iron at 450°F.
Common Scaling & Troubleshooting Questions (218g)
What baking temperature works best for a 585g loaf (300g flour @ 75%)?
Bake your 585g (1 Small Boule) dough made from 300g flour, 218g water (75.15%), 60g starter, and 6.6g salt in a preheated 450°F (232°C) Dutch oven for 20 min covered + 22 min uncovered.
How much water do I need for 300g of flour at 75% hydration?
Multiplying 300g by 75% gives 225g apparent water, which drifts to 77.3% (+2.3%) with 60g starter. Weighing 218g main water (-7g cut) locks True Total Hydration at 75.15% (target 75%).
Why does unadjusted 225g water cause a +2.3% surge on 300g flour at 75%?
Because 75% is below 100% starter hydration, 60g starter (30gW / 30gF) raises 225g water to 255g over 330g flour (77.3%). Cutting 7g to 218g locks 75.15%.