W Value

W is a measure of flour strength from the Chopin alveograph, a lab test that blows a thin sheet of dough into a bubble until it bursts. W reflects the work needed to inflate that bubble, so a higher W means a stronger flour. It's printed on many Italian and European flour bags. As a rough guide, lower W flours suit quick doughs, crackers, and pastry, middle values suit everyday bread and pizza, and higher W flours are built for long fermentation and heavy enriched doughs like panettone.

By Henry Hunter · Updated October 1, 2026

Henry's notes from the bench

• If an Italian pizza or panettone recipe calls for a certain W, try to stay close to it. A flour that's much weaker than the recipe expects can tear or collapse partway through a long ferment.