Sourdough Percentage Rise Calculator
Turn starting and current container readings into percentage dough rise, and calculate the mark for a recipe’s target rise.
50% measured rise
For your 50% target, mark 600 mL on the container.
(600 − 400) ÷ 400 × 100 = 50%.
This measures expansion from your chosen baseline. It does not decide when to shape. Use your recipe’s cues, the full dough and its measured temperature together.
The calculation
Percentage rise = (current reading − starting reading) ÷ starting reading × 100. Target mark = starting reading × (1 + target rise ÷ 100).
Worked example
From a 400 mL starting reading to 600 mL, the increase is 200 mL: 200 ÷ 400 × 100 = 50%. A 75% target from the same start is 400 × 1.75 = 700 mL. In a straight-sided jar, 20 mm to 30 mm is also 50%.
What to check
Use consistent units and the same baseline. Height is a proxy for volume only in a vessel with a constant cross-section. In a tapered bowl use calibrated volume marks. A late starting mark, folds and a small aliquot sample can change the interpretation. The percentage alone is not a shaping decision.
A reference chart has conditions
These three points reproduce Tom Cucuzza’s reference in The Secret of Bulk Fermentation, described in our bulk fermentation chart guide. It uses a Tartine-style formula with 90% bread flour and 10% whole wheat in the flour blend, 75% water, 20% starter and 2% salt, bulk counted from starter addition, and a shaped cold proof of 12–16 hours at about 3°C / 37°F. They are not universal shaping targets or measurements from Crispy Crust trials.
| Measured dough temperature | Reference rise | Calculated mark |
|---|---|---|
| 27°C / 80°F | 30% | 520 mL |
| 24°C / 75°F | 50% | 600 mL |
| 21°C / 70°F | 75% | 700 mL |
The temperatures use the source’s rounded equivalents. Set this chart aside if the recipe, starter proportion, temperature history, baseline or final proof differs. Read The Sourdough Journey’s original tools and guides ↗.
Read the method
By Crispy Crust · Published 10 November 2026 · How we write and review guides