Country 74% Sourdough Formula for 450g Flour: 321g Water & 90g Levain (1 Standard Loaf)
True 73.94% vs 76.4% apparent breakdown for 450g flour (871g 1 standard loaf, -12g water cut).
Across 495g combined flour (450g base + 45g from 90g starter), an unadjusted 333g water weight produces 378g total liquid or 76.4% (+2.4% surge). Restricting main water to 321g (-12g) with 9.9g salt (871g dough) locks True Total Hydration at 73.94% (target 74%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 321gLocks True Total Hydration at 73.94% (target 74%, -12g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 333gPushes True Hydration to 76.4% (+2.4% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 90g / 9.9g45g hidden flour + 45g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 3 / 5 StarsModerate (High extensibility)
450g Flour at 74% Hydration: 2D Scale & Starter Sensitivity Matrix
System flour (495g) and total water (366g) mass-balance rows around 450g flour at 74% (73.94%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (74% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400g @ 72% (15% Seed) Mini Scale (-50g) | 400g + 30g = 430g (74%/450g ref) | 60g (30gF/30gW @ 100%) | 280g W (vs 288g app @ R1) | 8.6g salt (740g dough) | 74.0% drift → 72.09% (72% goal) |
| 450g @ 72% (18% Seed) Tighter Crumb (-2%) | 450g + 45g = 495g (74%/450g ref) | 81g (45gF/36gW @ 80%) | 320g W (vs 324g app @ R2) | 9.9g salt (851g dough) | 72.7% drift → 71.92% (72% goal) |
| 450g @ 74% (20% Seed) [Exact Spec] | 450g + 45g = 495g (74%/450g ref) | 90g (45gF/45gW @ 100%) | 321g W (vs 333g app @ R3) | 9.9g salt (861g dough) | 76.4% drift → 73.94% (74% goal) |
| 450g @ 76% (22% Seed) Airier Crumb (+2%) | 450g + 50g = 500g (74%/450g ref) | 99g (50gF/49gW @ 100%) | 331g W (vs 342g app @ R4) | 10.0g salt (880g dough) | 78.2% drift → 76.0% (76% goal) |
| 500g @ 76% (25% Seed) Boosted Scale (+50g) | 500g + 56g = 556g (74%/450g ref) | 125g (56gF/69gW @ 125%) | 354g W (vs 380g app @ R5) | 11.1g salt (979g dough) | 80.8% drift → 76.08% (76% goal) |
Real-Time Dough & Starter Scaling Sandbox
Scale this 450g Flour at 74% Hydration Sourdoug specification up or down on your digital scale with zero hydration drift.
Open Crumb & Gluten Physics at 74% Hydration (450g Flour + 321g Water)
True cereal hydration divides all aqueous inputs by the 495g flour denominator (450g main + 45g starter flour). Pouring 333g water yields 378g liquid (76.4%), while 321g main water plus 45g levain water equals 366g liquid—which locks True Total Hydration at 73.94% (target 74%).
At 73.94% true hydration (366g total water ÷ 495g flour), your 450g flour dough exhibits moderate handling (3/5 stars). Cutting 12g from 333g down to 321g (289g + 32g) with 9.9g salt prevents serum weeping.
Bench & Dutch Oven Protocol for 1 Standard Loaf (450g Flour @ 74% Hydration)
- Endosperm Saturation (450g Flour / 289g Water): Rub 289g water into 450g flour (saving 32g of 321g) and rest 40 min.
- Ionic Salt & Culture Mix (90g Levain + 9.9g Sea Salt): Pinch 90g peaked starter and 9.9g salt dissolved in 32g water into the 871g batch (-12g vs 333g).
- Rheological Laminations (74% / 73.94%): Perform 1 bench lamination plus 3 coil folds every 35 min for supple tenacity across 495g system flour.
- Cold Proof & Dutch Oven Spring (871g): Preshape at +50% expansion, stitch into a banneton for 12–16 hrs at 38°F, score at 45°, and bake at 450°F.
Diagnostic Answers: 450g Flour at 74% Hydration Sourdough Recipe
How does 289g autolyse water improve a 450g loaf at 74%?
Soaking 450g flour in 289g water for 45 minutes before adding 90g acidic starter, 9.9g salt, and 32g water (321g total) builds supple elasticity across the 871g dough.
What happens if I use a 50% stiff levain (90g) with 450g flour at 74%?
A 90g stiff levain (50% hydration) contains 60g flour and 30g water, requiring 347g main water instead of 321g on 450g flour to hold 74%.
How sticky is a 450g flour sourdough at 74% hydration (321g water)?
At 73.94% (target 74%) with 321g water and 90g starter on 450g flour, rheology scores 3/5 stars (Moderate) with high extensibility.