Pizza Flour Comparison: W Rating, Protein and Hydration for 220 Flours

What is the W rating of flour?

The W rating (also called W value or W index) measures how strong a flour is. It comes from the Chopin alveograph: a thin sheet of dough is blown into a bubble until it bursts, and W is the energy needed to do that, given in units of 10⁻⁴ joules. The higher the W, the stronger the gluten network and the longer the dough can ferment without collapsing: W 240-280 suits ferments of 8-24 hours, W 280-320 suits 24-48 hours, and from W 320 a flour handles 48-96 hours and preferments such as biga. Protein content tells you how much gluten a flour can form; the W rating tells you how strong that gluten actually is.

Note: Most non-Italian flours don’t print the W rating on the bag. You’ll find it on the manufacturer’s website or technical data sheet. PizzaPlan has the researched values built into the app.

What makes pizza flour different

Standard all-purpose flour (Type 405 / plain flour) has too little protein for a stable pizza dough. The gluten network tears when stretching, the dough springs back and hydration is limited. Pizza flour has more protein (at least 11.5%, better 12-14%), builds a stronger and more extensible gluten network, and absorbs more water - the result is a dough that stretches thin, rises in the oven and develops an open crumb.

The second key property is fermentation tolerance: a good pizza flour survives 24-72 hours of cold fermentation without collapsing. Weak flour breaks down after just a few hours.

Flour types at a glance

Tipo 00 (Italian): Very finely milled, high yield, classic for Neapolitan. W-value varies widely by manufacturer - from W 220 (unsuitable) to W 400 (Manitoba class). The type only describes milling fineness, not strength.

Type 550 (German/Austrian): Roughly equivalent to Tipo 0. Slightly higher mineral content than 00, mildly nutty flavour. Protein 11-12.5%. W-value rarely stated; works well for shorter ferments (6-24 h).

Manitoba: A wheat class with very high protein (13-15%) and W 350-450. Not a specific type, but a quality grade. The base for long pre-ferments (Biga 24-48 h) and enriched doughs (Brioche).

Wholegrain / Tipo Integrale: Higher protein content, but the bran cuts the gluten network mechanically. Needs significantly more water (70-80% hydration) and works best as a blend (20-30% wholegrain, rest 00 or 550).

Italian professional flours

Caputo - the Naples reference

Antimo Caputo (Naples) is the global benchmark for pizza flour. The range covers everything from beginner to professional:

Caputo Pizzeria - W 260-280 · Protein 12.5% · Hydration 60-65% · Ferment 24-72 h The go-to choice. Stable, easy to handle, forgiving of fermentation timing errors. First choice for 90% of home applications.

Caputo Cuoco (Saccorosso) - W 300-320 · Protein 13% · Hydration 65-70% · Ferment 48-96 h Stronger than Pizzeria, suited for very long cold ferments or high hydration (65-70%). Less forgiving of timing errors. Sold in the red bag and therefore also called Saccorosso - it is the same flour.

Caputo Nuvola - W 270-290 · Protein 12.5% · Hydration 65-75% · Ferment 24-72 h Tipo 0, for very soft, airy bases (pizza al padellino, Pinsa style). High hydration, open crumb.

Le 5 Stagioni - the professional alternative

Agugiaro & Figna (Verona) produces Le 5 Stagioni, the second major professional line:

Le 5 Stagioni Pizza Napoletana Verde - W 270-300 · Protein 11.5% · Hydration 58-65% · Ferment 8-24 h Classic Neapolitan flour. Slightly less strong than Caputo Pizzeria but very reliable.

Le 5 Stagioni Manitoba Tipo 00 - W 410 · Protein 14.5% · Hydration 70-80% · Ferment 24-72 h Manitoba class for Biga pre-ferments, Pizza in Pala and enriched sweet doughs.

Molino Dallagiovanna - Emilia specialists

Dallagiovanna Classica Oro - W 300-320 · Protein 13% · Hydration 65-70% · Ferment 48-72 h Medium to long ferment, very stable gluten structure. Especially well-suited for Biga builds.

Molino Grassi - from Parma

Molino Grassi Farina per Pizza Tipo 00 - W 250-270 · Protein 12% · Hydration 60-65% · Ferment 24-48 h Solid Neapolitan flour from Parma. Good alternative when Caputo is unavailable.

Polselli - for enthusiasts

Polselli Classica - W 260-280 · Protein 12.5% · Ferment 24-72 h Versatile, similar to Caputo Pizzeria. Less widely distributed outside Italy.

Polselli Super - W 360-378 · Hydration 68-75% · Ferment 48-96 h For high hydration and very long ferments. Directly comparable to Caputo Cuoco.

International flours

For those without access to Italian or European professional flour:

Bob’s Red Mill Artisan Bread Flour (US) - Protein 12.5% · Hydration 60-68% · Ferment 12-48 h US standard for bread baking. Good pizza results, W-value not stated.

King Arthur Organic Bread Flour (US) - Protein 12.7% · Hydration 62-68% · Ferment 12-48 h Industry leader in the US. Reliable results for medium ferments.

Doves Farm Strong White Bread Flour (UK) - Protein 12% · Hydration 58-65% · Ferment 12-48 h British standard. Works well for Poolish builds.

Further international profiles in the app: Anna Napoletana (US), Cento Fine Foods, Lighthouse (AU), Marriage’s (UK), Shipton Mill (UK).

Baking gluten-free? PizzaPlan Pro includes five gluten-free flours with their own hydration ranges and binders, explained on the gluten-free pizza dough page.

The complete flour catalogue

The table lists every flour built into PizzaPlan: brand, product, flour type, protein, W-value, recommended hydration, fermentation window and the source each value comes from. You can search, filter by country and flour type, and sort by protein or W-value.

Where a manufacturer publishes no value, the cell reads “n/a” instead of a guessed number. If a mill is named under the brand, it is a retailer brand: the same flour is sold under several names.

What the app adds on top

The complete profiles - including recommended hydration by dough style, optimal fermentation windows and yeast adjustments - are built directly into PizzaPlan. Select your flour brand, and the app automatically adapts hydration and fermentation parameters.

PizzaPlan comes from Forstinning near Munich. All values are researched manufacturer data or lab values - no rough estimates. More about the app on the about page.

PizzaPlan Pro is a one-time €2.99 purchase (no subscription) and includes all 220 flour profiles from 72 brands, Biga, Poolish, Li.Co.Li., sweet yeast doughs and all future pro features. Play Store · App Store.

Amounts for your own dough, right here - the same pizza dough calculator as on the home page:

Your flour is not on the list?

Regional mills and supermarket house brands never make it onto any list. That is why you can add your own flours right in the app: manufacturer, product, flour type, protein, W value and, if you know it, your own hydration range. Up to 50 profiles, free of charge, usable in the calculator, in the blend calculator and in shared recipes. Without your own range, the usual range of the flour type applies.