High-Hydration 76% Open Crumb Sourdough with 500g Flour, 331g Autolyse & 37g Bassinage (1 Standard Loaf)
Open-crumb 76% formula for 500g flour (979g 1 standard loaf) staging 37g bassinage water and 100g levain.
Mixing 500g unbleached flour, 380g water, and 100g liquid starter pushes real hydration to 78.2% (+2.2% overshoot) across 550g total grain. Measuring 368g corrected water (331g autolyse + 37g bassinage), 100g levain, and 11g salt removes 12g excess water and locks True Total Hydration at 76.0% (target 76%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 368gLocks True Total Hydration at 76.0% (target 76%, -12g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 380gPushes True Hydration to 78.2% (+2.2% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 100g / 11g50g hidden flour + 50g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 3 / 5 StarsModerate (High extensibility)
Gravimetric Scaling Table for 500g Base Flour at 76% Hydration
Stepwise levain inoculation (15%–25%) and hydration offsets for a 979g (1 Standard Loaf) batch using 500g flour.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (76% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 450g @ 74% (15% Seed) Reduced Flour (-50g) | 450g + 34g = 484g (76%/500g ref) | 68g (34gF/34gW @ 100%) | 324g W (vs 333g app @ R1) | 9.7g salt (842g dough) | 75.8% drift → 73.97% (74% goal) |
| 500g @ 74% (18% Seed) Stiffer Step (-2%) | 500g + 50g = 550g (76%/500g ref) | 90g (50gF/40gW @ 80%) | 367g W (vs 370g app @ R2) | 11.0g salt (957g dough) | 74.5% drift → 74.0% (74% goal) |
| 500g @ 76% (20% Seed) [Primary Formula] | 500g + 50g = 550g (76%/500g ref) | 100g (50gF/50gW @ 100%) | 368g W (vs 380g app @ R3) | 11.0g salt (968g dough) | 78.2% drift → 76.0% (76% goal) |
| 500g @ 78% (22% Seed) Wetter Step (+2%) | 500g + 55g = 555g (76%/500g ref) | 110g (55gF/55gW @ 100%) | 378g W (vs 390g app @ R4) | 11.1g salt (988g dough) | 80.2% drift → 78.02% (78% goal) |
| 550g @ 78% (25% Seed) Up-Scaled (+50g) | 550g + 61g = 611g (76%/500g ref) | 138g (61gF/77gW @ 125%) | 400g W (vs 429g app @ R5) | 12.2g salt (1088g dough) | 82.8% drift → 78.07% (78% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Wet Viscosity Control at 76% Hydration (500g Flour / 368g Corrected Water)
Multiplying 500g flour by 76% gives 380g apparent water, but adding 100g starter (50g flour + 50g water) shifts system totals to 430g water over 550g flour (78.2%, +2.2% drift). Deducting 12g down to 368g main water (418g total water) locks True Total Hydration at 76.0% (target 76%).
At 76% target hydration (76.0%), the 979g dough (500g flour + 368g water + 100g starter) displays high extensibility and supple elasticity (3/5 stickiness). Holding 37g water back from the 331g autolyse protects disulfide cross-links with 11g salt.
Step-by-Step Mixing & Folding Protocol for a 979g Batch (500g @ 76%)
- Enzymatic Rest (500g Flour + 331g Water): Blend 331g water into 500g flour (holding back 37g of 368g) for 45 min.
- True-76% Calibration (-12g Deduction): Incorporate 100g starter, 11g sea salt, and 37g water to yield 979g dough at 76.0% (vs 78.2%).
- Tension Alignment (550g System Flour): Perform 4 damp-hand coil folds every 30 min tailored to 3/5 stickiness and supple elasticity.
- Overnight Retard & Cast-Iron Bake (1 Standard Loaf): Terminate bulk at +50% rise, cold-proof at 38°F, score deeply, and bake at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: High-Hydration 76% Open Crumb Sourdough with 500
Can I scale this 500g / 76% formula down by 50g to 450g flour?
At 450g flour and 76% hydration (vs 500g / 368g water), use 90g starter and 331g corrected water.
How does 331g autolyse water improve a 500g loaf at 76%?
Soaking 500g flour in 331g water for 45 minutes before adding 100g acidic starter, 11g salt, and 37g water (368g total) builds supple elasticity across the 979g dough.
Why is salt 11g instead of 10g for 500g flour at 76%?
True 2.0% salinity counts the 50g flour inside your 100g starter (500g + 50g = 550g total flour × 2% = 11g salt), stabilizing the 979g loaf at 76.0% (76%).