Extreme 82% Hydration Sourdough (800g Flour): 578g Base + 64g Bassinage (2-Loaf Batch)
Ciabatta-style 82% formula on 800g flour (1620g batch) with 64g bassinage staging and -14g starter deduction.
Across 880g combined flour (800g base + 80g from 160g starter), an unadjusted 656g water weight produces 736g total liquid or 83.6% (+1.6% surge). Restricting main water to 642g (-14g) with 17.6g salt (1620g dough) locks True Total Hydration at 82.05% (target 82%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 642gLocks True Total Hydration at 82.05% (target 82%, -14g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 656gPushes True Hydration to 83.6% (+1.6% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 160g / 17.6g80g hidden flour + 80g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 4 / 5 StarsArtisan Level (Extreme extensibility)
5-Point Stoichiometry & Levain Split Chart Centered on 800g / 82%
Exact autolyse (578g) and bassinage (64g) water calibration around 800g flour at 82% hydration.
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (82% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 750g @ 80% (15% Seed) Mini Scale (-50g) | 750g + 57g = 807g (82%/800g ref) | 113g (57gF/56gW @ 100%) | 590g W (vs 600g app @ R1) | 16.1g salt (1453g dough) | 81.3% drift → 80.05% (80% goal) |
| 800g @ 80% (18% Seed) Tighter Crumb (-2%) | 800g + 80g = 880g (82%/800g ref) | 144g (80gF/64gW @ 80%) | 640g W (vs 640g app @ R2) | 17.6g salt (1584g dough) | 80.0% drift → 80.0% (80% goal) |
| 800g @ 82% (20% Seed) [Exact Spec] | 800g + 80g = 880g (82%/800g ref) | 160g (80gF/80gW @ 100%) | 642g W (vs 656g app @ R3) | 17.6g salt (1602g dough) | 83.6% drift → 82.05% (82% goal) |
| 800g @ 84% (22% Seed) Airier Crumb (+2%) | 800g + 88g = 888g (82%/800g ref) | 176g (88gF/88gW @ 100%) | 658g W (vs 672g app @ R4) | 17.8g salt (1634g dough) | 85.6% drift → 84.01% (84% goal) |
| 850g @ 84% (25% Seed) Boosted Scale (+50g) | 850g + 95g = 945g (82%/800g ref) | 213g (95gF/118gW @ 125%) | 676g W (vs 714g app @ R5) | 18.9g salt (1739g dough) | 88.0% drift → 84.02% (84% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Bassinage Mechanics for 800g Flour at 82% Hydration (642g Water)
Gravimetric auditing of 800g flour plus 160g starter shows 880g total dry base and 722g target water for 82% hydration. Because the levain already supplies 80g water, cutting 656g by 14g down to 642g (with 17.6g salt in a 1620g batch) locks True Total Hydration at 82.05% (target 82%).
When 800g flour is mixed to 82% (82.05%) using 642g water, 160g levain, and 17.6g salt (1620g total), reserving 64g water from the 578g autolyse keeps dough stickiness at 4/5 instead of drifting to 83.6%.
Rheological Handling Guide (4/5 Tack) for 800g Flour at 82%
- Enzymatic Rest (800g Flour + 578g Water): Blend 578g water into 800g flour (holding back 64g of 642g) for 45 min.
- True-82% Calibration (-14g Deduction): Incorporate 160g starter, 17.6g sea salt, and 64g water to yield 1620g dough at 82.05% (vs 83.6%).
- Tension Alignment (880g System Flour): Perform 4 damp-hand coil folds every 30 min tailored to 4/5 stickiness and supple elasticity.
- Overnight Retard & Cast-Iron Bake (2-Loaf Batch): Terminate bulk at +50% rise, cold-proof at 38°F, score deeply, and bake at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: Extreme 82% Hydration Sourdough (800g Flour): 57
Why does 656g water make my 800g flour dough feel like 83.6%?
Your 160g of 100% starter adds 80g water and 80g flour, turning 656g water into 736g water over 880g flour (83.6%). Dropping 14g to 642g locks True Total Hydration at 82.05% (target 82%).
What happens if I use a 50% stiff levain (160g) with 800g flour at 82%?
A 160g stiff levain (50% hydration) contains 107g flour and 53g water, requiring 691g main water instead of 642g on 800g flour to hold 82%.
Is 82% hydration too wet for 800g of bread flour?
At 82% (642g water on 800g flour, 1620g batch), require 13.2%–14.9% high-gluten flour plus 578g autolyse and 64g bassinage staging to hold 82.05%.