The Complete Sourdough Troubleshooting Checklist

When a sourdough bake goes wrong, the cause usually lives in one of about 20 common issues. Run through this checklist systematically to find yours.

Step 1: Identify the symptom

Before troubleshooting, identify what specifically went wrong:

• Bread is dense and didn't rise
• Bread is flat (rose then sank, or never rose)
• Crumb is gummy
• Crust is too pale
• Crust is burnt
• Crust is too thick or too thin
• Bread tastes flat or bland
• Bread tastes overly sour
• Crumb has tunnels or large unwanted holes
• Bread separated from crust
• Bottom is burnt while top is pale
• Bread crumbles when sliced

Each symptom points to specific causes.

Symptom: Dense bread, didn't rise

Possible causes:

• Starter wasn't strong enough
• Bulk fermentation was too short
• Salt added before starter (kills activity)
• Dough temperature was too cold
• Wrong flour (low protein)
• Dough was kneaded incorrectly

Check:

• Starter passed float test before use
• Bulk lasted at least 4 hours
• Dough temp was 75°F+
• You used bread flour (12%+ protein)

Symptom: Flat bread (rose, then collapsed)

Possible causes:

• Overproofed during bulk fermentation
• Overproofed during final proof
• Weak gluten structure
• Too much hydration for your flour
• Final proof was too long

Check:

• Bulk fermentation was 4–6 hours, not 8+
• Final proof was 1–2 hours, or 12 hours cold
• The dough passed the poke test before baking

Symptom: Gummy crumb

Possible causes:

• Under-baked
• Cut the loaf too soon (didn't cool fully)
• Hydration too high for the bake time
• Cold retard too long without enough time on the counter

Check:

• Internal temperature reached 207–210°F
• Cooled at least 90 minutes before slicing
• Hydration was appropriate for your flour

Symptom: Pale crust

Possible causes:

• Oven temperature too low
• Steam removed too late (or too much steam)
• Not enough surface flour caramelization
• Bake time too short

Check:

• Used an oven thermometer (most ovens lie)
• Removed Dutch oven cover at 20 minutes
• Bake continued for 25+ minutes uncovered
• Final color is deep mahogany, not pale gold

Symptom: Burnt crust

Possible causes:

• Oven temperature too high
• Bake time too long
• Direct heat exposure (no Dutch oven, no parchment)
• Position on rack too close to heating element

Check:

• Used oven thermometer
• Bottom rack vs. middle rack
• Used parchment between dough and Dutch oven

Symptom: Bland flavor

Possible causes:

• Fermentation too short
• Starter too young or too mild
• All white flour (no whole grain)
• Salt percentage too low

Check:

• Total fermentation 12+ hours (including any cold retard)
• Starter is at least 2 months old
• Used 10–25% whole grain flour
• Salt is 1.8–2.2% by flour weight

Symptom: Overly sour

Possible causes:

• Cold retard too long
• Starter too acidic from underfeeding
• High percentage of rye or whole wheat
• Long bulk fermentation in cool conditions

Check:

• Cold retard was 12–24 hours, not 48+
• Starter has been fed regularly
• Whole grain percentage matches your taste

Symptom: Tunnels under the crust

Possible causes:

• Improper shaping (didn't seal the bottom)
• Underproofed (gas accumulated upward)

Check:

• Final shape created tight surface tension
• Bottom seam was pinched closed
• Final proof was sufficient

Symptom: Wide irregular holes throughout

Possible causes:

• High hydration (often intentional in Tartine-style bread)
• Properly fermented and gently shaped

If unintentional:

• Reduce hydration to 70%
• Tighten shaping
• Reduce bulk fermentation slightly

Symptom: Bottom burnt, top pale

Possible causes:

• Bottom rack is too close to bottom heating element
• Dutch oven is conducting heat too aggressively
• Oven has hot spots

Fix:

• Move to middle rack
• Add parchment under the dough in the Dutch oven
• Add a sheet pan on the rack below to deflect heat

Symptom: Crust separates from crumb

Possible causes:

• Overproofed
• Surface dried too much during retard

Fix:

• Shorter cold retard
• Cover the basket loosely during retard

Symptom: Crumbles when sliced

Possible causes:

• Over-baked (too dry)
• Under-developed gluten
• Cut too hot (some crumble is normal hot)

Fix:

• Pull at 207°F internal
• More folds during bulk
• Cool fully before cutting

The systematic approach

When something goes wrong, ask in order:

1. Was the starter strong (passed float test, doubled in expected time)?
2. Was bulk fermentation the right length (50–70% rise)?
3. Was final proof the right length (poke test)?
4. Was the bake long enough (internal temp 207–210°F)?
5. Did the bread cool before slicing (90+ minutes)?

These five questions catch 80% of sourdough problems.

Tracking conditions

Keep a brief baking log:

• Dough temperature at mix
• Bulk start time and end time
• Final proof start time
• Any unusual conditions
• Photo of the finished bread

After 10 bakes, patterns emerge. You'll know what your kitchen does.

When to start over

If you've checked everything and your bread is still bad:

• The starter may be the problem (try refreshing or replacing)
• The flour may be old (try fresh flour)
• The recipe may not be tuned for your conditions

Start with one variable changed at a time.

When to seek help

If you've tried everything:

• Post photos of the bread (top, bottom, crumb) on a sourdough forum
• Post your recipe and process
• Experienced bakers can usually diagnose from a clear description

The sourdough community is helpful and remarkably specific in diagnosis.

A common silent issue: salt timing

If you mix salt with the starter directly (before water disperses it), the salt can damage the starter. Always:

• Mix water + starter first
• Then add salt
• Then add flour

Or follow autolyse method: flour + water first, salt added later.

Common silent issue: pan size

Using a Dutch oven that's too small or too big can affect the bake:

• Too small: dough touches sides, deforms
• Too big: too much air around the dough, less steam concentration

For a 700–900g loaf, a 5-quart Dutch oven is right.

A diagnostic bake

If everything has been going wrong, try this controlled bake:

• 500g King Arthur bread flour
• 350g water
• 100g active starter (passed float test)
• 10g salt
• Standard process, careful timing
• 12-hour cold retard
• Bake in preheated Dutch oven, 475°F, 20 min covered + 25 min uncovered

This is a known-good baseline. If this works, your previous problems were specific to your variables. If this fails, the problem is something fundamental (starter, oven, flour).

The patience principle

Sourdough has variability. Even experienced bakers occasionally produce a flat or pale loaf. One bad bake doesn't mean you've forgotten everything.

Bake again next week. Use this checklist if needed. Most issues clear up with practice and consistent technique.

The 50th loaf is much more reliable than the 5th. Keep going.