What a Good Loaf Actually Looks Like

If you don't know what good bread looks like, you can't tell whether yours is improving. Here's how to evaluate a sourdough loaf.

Exterior

Shape

• Symmetrical — even on all sides
• Domed — taller in the middle, falling off to the edges
• Defined — clear shape (boule, batard, etc.), not melted

A good loaf doesn't spread out. The bottom is roughly the same width as the middle.

Score

• Clean cut — no ragged edges
• Open — the cut should have spread during baking, revealing interior
• One or more "ears" — raised lips of crust where the score opened

Color

• Deep golden to mahogany — most home bakers underbake; push the color
• Even — no pale spots or burnt patches
• Slightly blistered — small bubbles in the crust indicate good fermentation

Crust

Texture

• Crisp — should crackle when pressed
• Thin — not bread armor
• Audible — should rustle or crackle when squeezed

Sound

A finished loaf, when tapped on the bottom, should sound hollow. A muffled thump means it's underbaked.

Color depth

The Maillard reaction — the chemical browning of the crust — develops complex flavors at higher temperatures. A pale crust tastes pale; a deeply colored crust tastes complex.

Crumb

Open vs. closed

There's a spectrum:

• Tight, even — sandwich loaves, enriched breads
• Moderately open — country loaves, balanced fermentation
• Wildly open — high hydration, ciabatta-style

Match your crumb expectation to the bread you're making.

What to look for in a country loaf

• Irregular holes — varied sizes
• Glossy interior — slight sheen on the cut surface
• Slightly translucent walls between holes
• No giant tunnels (especially under the top crust)
• No undercooked patches

Bad signs

• All small holes — under-fermented
• One huge tunnel under the crust — under-shaped or trapped air
• Gummy, sticky crumb — under-baked
• Dense, packed crumb — under-fermented or over-fermented (collapsed)

Aroma

A finished loaf should smell:

• Slightly nutty
• Sweet
• Faintly tangy
• Toasted (from the crust)

If it smells like:

• Vinegar dominant — over-fermented
• Yeast or beer — under-baked
• Burnt — overbaked or oven too hot
• Raw flour — under-baked

Flavor

Cut into the loaf 2 hours after baking. Taste:

Crust

Toasted, sweet, complex. Should have multiple notes.

Crumb

• Mildly tangy
• Slightly sweet
• Wheat flavor present (not just sour)
• Clean finish (no off-flavors)

Texture in mouth

• Slight chew (gluten quality)
• Tender, not crumbly
• Moist but not gummy

The "good loaf" checklist

For a country loaf, you want all of these:

• [ ] Symmetrical, domed shape
• [ ] Open, clean score with at least one ear
• [ ] Deep mahogany crust
• [ ] Crisp, audible crust
• [ ] Hollow sound when tapped
• [ ] Open, irregular crumb
• [ ] Glossy interior
• [ ] No undercooked patches
• [ ] Sweet, complex aroma
• [ ] Balanced flavor — slightly sour, slightly sweet, wheat-forward

Hit 8 of 10? Good loaf.

Hit 10 of 10? Take a photo. You're doing great.

Photographing your bread

To track progress, photograph each bake the same way:

• Same surface (a wood cutting board works)
• Same lighting (natural light, no flash)
• Same angle (slight overhead, showing the score)
• Cut shot (interior crumb, on a clean white background)

Looking back at six months of photos teaches you more about your own baking than any class.