Troubleshooting

Sourdough troubleshooting

Almost every sourdough problem comes down to one of three things: fermentation (your starter and timing), hydration (the water-to-flour math), or the bake (heat and steam). Find your symptom below — the real cause, and the exact fix.

The short version: Flat or dense? Fermentation — fix your starter and timing. Gummy? Bake longer and cool fully before slicing. Won't rise? Your starter isn't strong enough, or it's too cold. No ear? Sharper blade, shallow angle, hotter lidded bake.

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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🎧 Fix it for good — learn to read the dough

Most problems disappear once you can feel when dough is ready instead of guessing. Maurizio Leo’s The Perfect Loafand Ken Forkish’s Flour Water Salt Yeast teach exactly that instinct, and both are free with an Audible trial.

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Dial in the fundamentals

Most fixes trace back to these three.

Hydration calculator →
Get the water-to-flour math right — the root of dense, gummy, and slack-dough problems.
Temperature & timing →
Dough temperature changes fermentation speed dramatically — the root of flat and dense loaves.
The right gear →
A hot Dutch oven, a real banneton, a sharp lame — the equipment that fixes bake-day problems.

Common questions about these problems

Why is my sourdough flat?

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. 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.

Why is my sourdough dense?

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. 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.

Why is my sourdough gummy?

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. 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.

Why is my sourdough not rising?

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. 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.

Why is my sourdough too sour?

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. 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.

Why won't my sourdough get an ear?

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. 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.

Why is my sourdough dough so sticky?

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