Convert 180g Sourdough Starter (100% Hydration) to Commercial Yeast
How to remove 180g of 100% hydration levain from any sourdough recipe by restoring +90g flour and +90g water.
When removing 180g of 100% hydration sourdough levain from a recipe, add back the 90g of flour and 90g of water contained inside the levain. In a 450g flour + 315g water sourdough recipe, your restored main dough becomes 540g flour and 405g water (75% True Hydration), leavened with 7.6g (2.4 tsp) of Instant Yeast for a 2-hour rise.
- Add Back Flour
- +90gReplaces flour inside 180g (100%) starter
- Add Back Water
- +90gReplaces water inside 180g (100%) starter
- Instant Yeast (2-Hr Rise)
- 7.6g (2.4 tsp)For 540g total flour batch
- Preserved Hydration
- 75%405g W / 540g F
Sourdough-to-Yeast Conversion Table: 180g at 100% Hydration
The restoration column shows the flour and water that must go back into the main mix to keep the 75% hydration intact.
| Proofing Plan | Instant Dry Yeast | Active Dry Yeast | Fresh Compressed Yeast | Dough Restoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Exact Target]: 200g starter at 100% | instant 7.7g | active dry 9.6g | fresh 23.1g | bake 1.5 – 2.0 hours warm bulk rise |
| Alt Row A: 180g starter at 100% | instant 3.8g | active dry 4.7g | fresh 11.3g | bake 3.5 – 4.5 hours slow room-temp rise |
| Alt Row B: 160g starter at 100% | instant 1.3g | active dry 1.7g | fresh 4g | bake 12 – 18 hours cold fermentation (39°f / 4°c) |
| Alt Row C: 190g starter at 100% | instant 7.6g | active dry 9.5g | fresh 22.9g | bake 1.5 – 2.0 hours warm bulk rise |
| Alt Row D: 170g starter at 100% | instant 3.7g | active dry 4.7g | fresh 11.2g | bake 3.5 – 4.5 hours slow room-temp rise |
Real-Time Dough & Starter Scaling Sandbox
Scale this Convert 180g Sourdough Starter (100% specification up or down on your digital scale with zero hydration drift.
Decomposing 180g of 100% Hydration Starter: Flour + Water Conservation
The hydration of the original starter is the single biggest variable in this conversion. At 100% the 180 g carries 90g of flour; at 50% the same weight would carry 120g, which is a completely different deduction and a completely different dough.
A practical test of a successful conversion: the dough should feel smooth rather than tacky after mixing, hold a windowpane, and reach the same volume in the oven as the original levain dough even though it got there in a fraction of the time.
Step-by-Step Reverse Conversion Protocol (180g @ 100%)
- Restore Base Ingredients (+90g F / +90g W): Add 90g flour and 90g water to your main dough (540g F / 405g W).
- Select Yeast Inoculation by Schedule: Weigh 7.6g (2.4 tsp) Instant Yeast for a 90–120 min rise, or scale down for a 4-hour artisan bulk.
- Mix & Proof Directly: Combine all 540g flour, 405g water, yeast, and salt without a pre-ferment build.
- Bake on Schedule: Shape once, proof for the remaining time, and bake the moment the dough has doubled rather than waiting for the slow souring a levain would deliver.
Diagnostic Answers: Convert 180g Sourdough Starter (100% Hydrati
How long should the converted dough bulk for at room temperature?
Plan on 1.5 – 2.0 hours warm bulk rise, then shape and bake immediately. There is no levain to justify a long slow bulk, and a commercial-yeast dough left longer simply over-proofs.
Will my converted dough taste different from the levain version?
Yes. The roughly 4g of residual acid inside 180 grams of starter was providing both flavour and tenderising, and commercial yeast replaces neither.
Is 180g of 100% starter easier to replace than a wetter starter?
Easier in one sense: a stiffer starter carries more flour and less water per gram, so the 90g / 90g restoration is larger on the flour side and smaller on the water side.