Biga & Poolish: The Pre-Ferment Calculator for Better Pizza Dough

Q: "What is the difference between Biga and Poolish?"

"Both are traditional baking pre-ferments, but they differ in consistency: a Biga is firm and crumbly (44-50 % hydration), a Poolish is liquid and viscous (100 %, a 1:1 flour-to-water ratio). The Biga delivers complex, nutty aromas and a very strong gluten structure for styles like Pizza in Pala or Romana, while the Poolish gives a mildly sweet, yeasty profile, classic for Neapolitan pizza."

Q: "What hydration do Biga and Poolish use?"

"A Biga is mixed at 44-50 % hydration, commonly 50 % (500 g of cool water per 1 kg of pre-ferment flour). A Poolish runs at 100 % hydration, so 1 kg of flour to 1000 g of water at a 1:1 ratio."

Q: "How long does a pre-ferment mature?"

"A Biga matures for 16-48 hours, typically 18-24 hours at 16-18 °C; in summer you can instead use the lower fridge shelf (4-6 °C) for 24-36 hours. A Poolish is quicker: 8-16 hours at 20-22 °C room temperature, so it is easily set overnight."

Q: "How do I know the pre-ferment is ready?"

"A Biga is ready when it smells distinctly fermented (sour-alcoholic, slightly nutty), has barely changed in volume and shows fine fermentation bubbles inside when torn open - unlike a Poolish, it does not rise. A Poolish is ripe when the surface is full of bubbles and it starts to collapse (a slight dip in the middle); the smell is sweet, yeasty and slightly alcoholic."

Q: "How much yeast goes into the pre-ferment?"

"For a Biga, use about 0.5 % of the pre-ferment flour as fresh yeast (5 g per 1 kg) or roughly 0.17 % dry yeast (just under 2 g). A Poolish needs less: 0.1-0.3 % fresh yeast (1-3 g per 1 kg). As a rule, less yeast means a longer maturation."

What is a pre-ferment?

A pre-ferment (Italian: preimpasto, French: poolish) is a portion of the flour that is mixed with water and a tiny amount of yeast several hours before the final dough is made. During this maturation, the yeast ferments in a protein- and starch-rich environment - producing complex aromas (sourness, nuttiness, a hint of fruitiness), a more stable gluten structure and a far more digestible dough. The final dough is then made from the matured pre-ferment, the remaining flour, water, salt and a small yeast booster.

The two most common pre-ferments for pizza are Biga and Poolish. Both come from traditional baking - Biga from Northern Italy (Lombardy, originally used to handle high-protein flours such as Manitoba), Poolish from French bakeries (the name traces back to Polish immigrants in Paris).

Both pre-ferments rely on commercial yeast. If you would rather bake with a wild culture, two alternatives exist: the liquid Italian mother dough - see the Li.Co.Li. page - or classic firm sourdough, free in the app.

Biga or Poolish: a direct comparison

	Biga	Poolish
Consistency	Firm, crumbly	Liquid, viscous
Hydration	44-50 %	100 % (1:1 flour/water)
Yeast share	approx. 0.5 % of pre-ferment flour	0.1-0.3 % of pre-ferment flour
Maturation	16-48 hours (typically 18-24 h at 18°C)	8-16 hours at room temperature
Temperature	Cool (16-18°C ideal)	Room (20-22°C)
Flavour profile	Complex, nutty, mild acidity	Mildly sweet, yeasty, subtle
Gluten strength	Very strong, fits Manitoba/W ≥ 350	Medium, fits medium-strong flours
Pizza styles	Pizza in Pala, Romana, crispy bases	Neapolitan, soft crumb
Share of total	50-100 % pre-ferment of total flour	30-60 % pre-ferment of total flour

When is which pre-ferment worth it?

Biga is the choice for stable, long fermentations with a high-protein flour (Manitoba, Caputo Saccorosso, Le 5 Stagioni Biga). The low hydration keeps yeast activity in check - 24 to 48 hours at 18°C are easily achievable. Classic use: Pizza in Pala and Romana, both with high hydration in the final dough (70-85 %) and a long, open crumb.

Poolish fits shorter timelines (8-12 hours of maturation - mix overnight, bake the next day) and medium-strong flours (Tipo 00 W 280-320, Caputo Pizzeria, Le 5 Stagioni Napoletana). The liquid pre-ferment adds more aroma than a direct dough, without the complexity of Biga. Classic use: Neapolitan pizza with 60-65 % hydration and 8-24 hours total fermentation.

If you cannot decide: Poolish is more beginner-friendly because it forgives temperature and timing errors. Biga rewards experience with deeper flavours, but punishes schedule mistakes more clearly.

How the PizzaPlan calculator works

PizzaPlan Pro has a complete Biga and Poolish calculator: you enter the total dough quantity, the hydration of the final dough and the maturation time. You choose the pre-ferment share yourself: for biga from 30 % to 100 % of the flour (at 100 % the whole dough is run as biga and dissolved in the remaining liquid at the end), for poolish up to the limit your hydration allows. For biga you also choose between two ripening styles: corta (short, around 16-20 hours at 18 °C) and lunga (48 hours with a fridge phase for a more intense aroma). From this it computes:

Pre-ferment components: flour, water and yeast for the pre-ferment, shown separately.
Remaining quantities for the final dough: what flour, water, salt and yeast still need to go into the main dough after the pre-ferment is added - already adjusted for the quantities already in the pre-ferment.
Yeast booster: a tiny additional amount of yeast in the final dough so the bulk fermentation kicks off reliably - from about 70 % pre-ferment share it is dropped, because the pre-ferment alone brings enough leavening.
Schedule: when to start the pre-ferment, when to combine the final dough, when bulk ends, when to ball up.

All calculations follow baker’s percentages over flour, identical to pizzeria standards. Fresh and dry yeast are converted automatically (factor ~3 for fresh yeast).

Step by step: making a Biga

Flour and water: at 50 % Biga hydration, take 500 g cool water (12-15°C) per 1 kg pre-ferment flour.
Yeast: approx. 0.5 % of pre-ferment flour as fresh yeast (5 g per 1 kg) or approx. 0.17 % dry yeast (just under 2 g). Dissolve in part of the water.
Mix: briefly until you get a crumbly, flaky dough - not a smooth mass. Lumps are intentional.
Mature: at 16-18°C for 18-24 hours in a covered container. In summer, the lower shelf of the fridge (4-6°C) for 24-36 hours works as an alternative.
Check: ready when the Biga smells distinctly fermented (sour-alcoholic, slightly nutty), has barely changed in volume (unlike a poolish it does not rise) and shows fine fermentation bubbles inside when torn open.

Step by step: making a Poolish

Flour and water: at 100 % hydration, take 1000 g lukewarm water (22-25°C) per 1 kg pre-ferment flour.
Yeast: 0.1-0.3 % of pre-ferment flour as fresh yeast (1-3 g per 1 kg). Less yeast = longer maturation.
Stir: until you get a homogeneous, viscous mass - no kneading required.
Mature: at 20-22°C room temperature, covered, for 8-16 hours. Ready when the surface is full of bubbles and the Poolish starts to collapse (telltale: a slight dip in the middle).
Aroma check: sweet, yeasty, slightly alcoholic. A strongly sour smell means it was too warm or kept too long - still usable, but less suited for mild pizzas.

Common pre-ferment mistakes

Too much yeast: the pre-ferment collapses before the planned maturation. Halve the yeast and keep it cooler next time.
Water too warm for Biga: fermentation runs too fast, aromas turn flat. Use cool water.
Pre-ferment left too long: signalled by a strong vinegar/acetone smell and a collapsed surface. Still usable, but acidity dominates.
Pre-ferment used too early: little volume increase and a milky smell without yeast aroma. Wait 1-2 more hours.
Salt in the pre-ferment: inhibits yeast. Salt goes into the final dough only.
Flour too weak for Biga: a Tipo 00 with W 240 collapses after 12 hours. Use at least W 320-350 (Manitoba, Saccorosso, Le 5 Stagioni Manitoba) for Biga.

Combining the final dough

The matured pre-ferment is whisked smooth with the remaining water (Biga: briefly mix with water to loosen the lumps; Poolish: just pour in). Then add the remaining flour and salt, followed by the yeast booster (0.05-0.2 % of total flour, depending on bulk fermentation length). Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic - Biga doughs often need 15-20 minutes because the Manitoba gluten takes its time.

Bulk for 1-3 hours at room temperature, then shape dough balls and ferment them for 2-6 hours depending on style. With a long total fermentation (Poolish 8 h + 24 h cold final dough + 4 h ball ferment) you get the most refined aromas.

What is the difference between Biga and Poolish?

Both are traditional baking pre-ferments, but they differ in consistency: a Biga is firm and crumbly (44-50 % hydration), a Poolish is liquid and viscous (100 %, a 1:1 flour-to-water ratio). The Biga delivers complex, nutty aromas and a very strong gluten structure for styles like Pizza in Pala or Romana, while the Poolish gives a mildly sweet, yeasty profile, classic for Neapolitan pizza.

What hydration do Biga and Poolish use?

A Biga is mixed at 44-50 % hydration, commonly 50 % (500 g of cool water per 1 kg of pre-ferment flour). A Poolish runs at 100 % hydration, so 1 kg of flour to 1000 g of water at a 1:1 ratio.

How long does a pre-ferment mature?

A Biga matures for 16-48 hours, typically 18-24 hours at 16-18 °C; in summer you can instead use the lower fridge shelf (4-6 °C) for 24-36 hours. A Poolish is quicker: 8-16 hours at 20-22 °C room temperature, so it is easily set overnight.

How do I know the pre-ferment is ready?

A Biga is ready when it smells distinctly fermented (sour-alcoholic, slightly nutty), has barely changed in volume and shows fine fermentation bubbles inside when torn open - unlike a Poolish, it does not rise. A Poolish is ripe when the surface is full of bubbles and it starts to collapse (a slight dip in the middle); the smell is sweet, yeasty and slightly alcoholic.

How much yeast goes into the pre-ferment?

For a Biga, use about 0.5 % of the pre-ferment flour as fresh yeast (5 g per 1 kg) or roughly 0.17 % dry yeast (just under 2 g). A Poolish needs less: 0.1-0.3 % fresh yeast (1-3 g per 1 kg). As a rule, less yeast means a longer maturation.

Who built PizzaPlan and the calculator?

PizzaPlan comes from Forstinning near Munich, written by Christoph. The pre-ferment calculations are the same ones he uses for his own wood-fired oven and Effeuno P134H - no simplifications, no rule-of-thumb values. More about the app on the about page.

PizzaPlan Pro is a one-time purchase of €2.99 (no subscription) and unlocks Biga, Poolish, Li.Co.Li., 100+ flour brands and all future pro features. Play Store · App Store.