Poolish vs biga: what's the difference?
A pre-ferment is a small portion of flour, water and a pinch of yeast mixed and left to mature before you build the final dough. It's the traditional route to serious flavour and structure — and the two classic Italian versions behave quite differently.
Poolish — the wet one
Equal weights of flour and water (100% hydration) with a tiny amount of yeast. A poolish stays loose and bubbly. It develops extensibility — dough that stretches willingly — and a gentle, slightly sweet, nutty aroma. It's the classic choice for supple pizza and open breads.
Biga — the stiff one
Much drier, around 50% hydration, so it's a shaggy, firm mass rather than a batter. A biga ferments more slowly and builds strength and depth — a more assertive, complex flavour and a dough that holds its shape well. Traditional for many rustic Italian breads and chewier pizza.
How long do they take?
It depends on temperature far more than on the label "overnight." At a warm 25 °C, a poolish may mature in roughly 4–8 hours; in a cooler kitchen it can stretch to overnight. A stiffer biga runs longer. Temperature, yeast dose and maturity cues — a domed, bubbly surface just starting to recede — matter more than a fixed number of hours.
Which should you use?
- Want a tender, extensible dough and mild flavour? Poolish.
- Want strength, chew and a deeper taste? Biga.
Let the calculator build it
Choose poolish or biga in Doughborough and it works out how much flour and water to hold back for the pre-ferment, the yeast for it, and when it'll be mature at your temperature — then balances the final dough around what's left.
Build a pre-ferment