Sourdough troubleshooting

Find your symptom

• Flat loaf — spreads out, little oven spring

  Likely cause: Usually over-proofed (the dough ran out of gas before the bake) or a weak/young starter — sometimes shaping with too little tension, or all-purpose flour that can't hold the structure.

  The fix: Proof until just under-doubled, not collapsing; use a starter that reliably doubles in 4–8h; shape with real surface tension; and bake into a screaming-hot lidded pot so it springs before the crust sets.

  Starter & levain timing →A hot Dutch oven is the #1 fix for flat loaves →
• Dense, heavy, tight crumb

  Likely cause: Almost always under-fermentation: a sluggish starter, too-short bulk rise, or a cold kitchen. Low-protein flour and under-developed gluten also tighten the crumb.

  The fix: Make sure your starter is active and at peak when you mix; extend the bulk rise (watch the dough, not the clock); warm the dough up a few degrees; and use a real bread flour. Temperature changes fermentation time dramatically.

  Temperature & timing calculator →Real bread flour holds the structure →
• Gummy, sticky, underbaked interior

  Likely cause: Most often under-baking — pulled too early — or slicing while still warm so the crumb hasn't set. Sometimes hydration is higher than your bake time accounts for.

  The fix: Bake longer and darker than feels comfortable (aim for a deep, set crust), and — the hard part — let the loaf cool completely before slicing; the crumb finishes setting as it cools. If it persists, drop your hydration a few points while you dial it in.

  Hydration calculator →
• Starter won't rise / no bubbles / dough won't rise

  Likely cause: An inactive or hungry starter is the usual culprit, plus a cold kitchen, too little starter in the dough, or — occasionally — water hot enough to kill the culture.

  The fix: Feed the starter on a consistent schedule until it reliably doubles before you bake; keep the dough in the 24–27°C / 75–80°F range; use cool, never hot, water; and weigh your starter so the inoculation is right every time.

  Levain build math →Weigh the starter to the gram for a repeatable rise →
• Too sour — or not sour enough

  Likely cause: Sourness tracks fermentation time and temperature, the starter's feeding ratio, and how much whole grain is in the mix. Long, cool fermentation builds more acid; short and warm builds less.

  The fix: Want it milder? Shorten the bulk, feed the starter more often, ferment warmer, and use a higher proportion of white flour. Want more tang? Cold-retard the shaped loaf overnight and lean into whole grain.

  Temperature & timing calculator →
• No ear / scoring tears instead of opening

  Likely cause: A dull or wrong-angle cut, scoring a dough that's over-proofed (no spring left to push the flap open), or not enough surface tension from shaping.

  The fix: Score with a sharp blade held at a shallow ~30° angle, one confident cut just off-centre, on a cold, properly-proofed loaf with good surface tension — then trap the steam with a lidded bake so it springs into an ear.

  Best bread lame (curve, blade, angle) →A sharp lame at the right angle makes the ear →
• Wet, sticky dough you can't handle

  Likely cause: Usually higher hydration than your technique is ready for, under-developed gluten, or warm dough.

  The fix: Build strength with stretch-and-folds, wet your hands (not the counter) when handling, and start a few points lower on hydration until your handling catches up.

  Full sticky-dough guide →

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