Sourdough Bread Troubleshooting

Why Your Loaf Isn't Rising

You followed the recipe exactly. Set timers. Measured precisely. Yet there it sits: a sad, flat disc that barely resembles the gorgeous loaves flooding your Instagram feed.

Before you blame yourself (or give up entirely), here's the truth: Most likely when this happens, it's not you. It's your starter.

Let's diagnose what went wrong and, more importantly, how to fix it so your next loaf rises like it should.

The Usual Suspects: Why Sourdough Fails to Rise

1. Weak or Immature Starter (The #1 Culprit)

If your loaf is dense, has uneven holes and a gummy texture, there wasn't enough active wild yeast in your starter to make the bread develop and rise during baking. This can happen even if your starter seems really happy and bubbly.

Signs your starter is the problem:

• Takes longer than 8 hours to double after feeding
• Smells overly acidic or like nail polish
• Thin, watery consistency
• Minimal bubbling activity

The fix: You need a stronger starter. A new sourdough starter needs AT LEAST 14 days to be viable and often several months before it's mature. Or skip the months of uncertainty: Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ arrives at peak strength, ready to leaven bread immediately.

2. Temperature Too Cold

Your room temperature might be stopping the fermentation process from happening. Sourdough fermentation essentially stops below 50°F and slows dramatically below 70°F.

The sweet spot: 70-78°F (21-25°C)

Quick fixes:

• Keep your dough in the oven with just the light turned on
• Inside microwave
• Top of or next to refrigerator (warm from motor)
• Near (not on) a heating vent
• Invest in a proofing box for consistency

3. Under-fermentation (Bulk Rise Too Short)

Under-proofing the dough is the most common issue I see with beginners. They follow the recipe timing exactly without watching for visual cues.

Signs of under-fermentation:

• Dough hasn't increased by 50-70%
• Few visible bubbles on surface
• Feels dense and heavy
• Doesn't jiggle when shaken

The fix: Extend your bulk fermentation time. Dough that has large irregular holes surrounded by dense areas is almost always under fermented. It has more energy than it should have left when it hits the oven. Trust visual cues over clock time.

The Gummy Interior Problem

Finding a dense, gummy crumb when you slice your bread? This connects directly to rising issues.

Gummy sourdough is completely preventable when you understand the cause. You must ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before mixing your dough. This is most often caused by under fermentation, but can sometimes be a shaping issue too.

Why it happens:

• Weak starter = poor fermentation = dense structure
• Under-proofed = not enough gas production = tight crumb
• Too cool = slow fermentation = incomplete development

This is why starting with Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ matters. Our five-day strengthening protocol ensures maximum gas production from day one.

The Shape-Shifting Nightmare

Your bread dough spreads and loses shape when you flip it out of the banneton to bake. This pancake effect devastates home bakers, but it's completely fixable.

Common causes:

1. Over-fermentation - Structure breaks down
2. Poor shaping technique - Insufficient tension
3. Wrong hydration - Too wet for your skill level
4. Weak starter - Can't maintain structure

The fix: Start with proper fermentation strength. Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter's proprietary flour blend creates stable gluten networks that hold shape through proofing.

Reading the Signs: Visual Cues for Success

During Bulk Fermentation

I look for dough to bulk out by about 50%. That doesn't mean it doubles, it's just fuller by half. This is the most reliable indicator across different dough types.

Look for:

• Jiggly, alive texture
• Visible bubbles on surface
• Domed top
• Increased volume (50-70%)

During Final Proof

After folding and the dough has sat a few hours proofing, give it a prod with a wet finger. It should leave an indent that fills back out slowly but only about halfway.

The poke test:

• Springs back quickly = needs more time
• Springs back slowly, partial indent remains = perfect
• No spring back = possibly over-proofed

Temperature: The Hidden Variable

In my experience, bulk fermentation can last anywhere from 3.5 to 7 hours. The wild yeasts perform best in a warm environment, anything between 75° - 80°F. If colder, bulk fermentation will take longer.

Seasonal adjustments:

• Summer: Fermentation accelerates, reduce starter amount
• Winter: Everything slows, increase starter or find warm spot
• Spring/Fall: Most predictable timing

The Over-Proofing Trap

Sometimes bread fails because it fermented TOO long, not too short.

Your loaf is overproved when it had too much time to develop and now can't rise like it normally would. The gluten structure has started breaking down.

Signs of over-proofing:

• Dough feels fragile, tears easily
• Excessive spread when turned out
• Sour smell intensifies
• Final loaf is flat but airy

The fix: This is actually a good problem to have because it's easy to solve: just give your dough less time at room temperature. Try an hour or two less and see how it turns out.

Fixing Dense, Heavy Loaves

Extremely dense, gummy loaves or loaves with a few massive air pockets surrounded by a tight dense crumb are the result of under-proofed dough. This is an extremely common problem among beginners.

The comprehensive fix:

1. Strengthen your starter - This is 90% of the solution
2. Extend fermentation - Let the dough tell you when it's ready
3. Check temperature - Cold kitchens need compensation
4. Improve shaping - Build tension for structure

Starting with Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ eliminates the guesswork. Our culture is cultivated specifically for reliable rising power.

The Patience Problem: Cutting Too Soon

This is a common problem, and the most frequent reason is that bread needs more time to cool. I recommend waiting at least 2 hours after baking before slicing into the bread. Many bakers recommend 4 hours or even overnight.

Even perfectly fermented bread seems gummy if cut warm. The interior continues to cook and set as it cools. Let bread cool completely before slicing. Cutting too soon will always make it feel gummy.

Your Troubleshooting Action Plan

For Next Time:

1. Start with certainty - Use Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ to eliminate starter variables
2. Control temperature - Find your kitchen's warm spot
3. Watch the dough, not the clock - Visual cues trump timing
4. Document everything - Photo comparisons help track progress
5. Be patient - Both during fermentation and cooling

Emergency Fixes for Current Dough:

Not rising during bulk?

• Move to warmer location
• Add 30-60 minutes between folds
• Place in a turned-off oven with light on and door cracked

Shaped loaf not rising?

• Extend proof time in warm spot
• If still flat after 2 hours, likely starter issue
• Bake anyway! Flatbread is still delicious

The Ultimate Solution

After helping thousands of bakers troubleshoot their sourdough, one pattern emerges: starter quality determines success more than any other factor.

This is why we created Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™:

• Five-day strengthening protocol ensures reliable rising power
• Peak activity dehydration captures maximum fermentation strength
• Coastal cultivation develops resilient yeast populations
• Professional testing guarantees consistent performance

Stop troubleshooting weak starters. Start with strength.

When All Else Fails

Still bake your bread even if it hasn't risen properly. You can always turn it into bread crumbs, croutons, or serve it as a flatbread. Every "failed" loaf teaches valuable lessons.

But if you're tired of learning through disappointment, make the switch to a starter that works. Get your Yeast Coast Sourdough Superstarter™ and transform your troubleshooting list into a success story.

Because life's too short for flat bread (unless you meant to make flatbread).