# Sourdough Troubleshooting Guide

After 6 months of baking, here's what I've learned about diagnosing common sourdough problems.

## Starter Health

### Signs of a healthy starter
- Doubles in 4-6 hours after feeding
- Smells pleasantly sour/yeasty, not acetone
- Passes the float test at peak
- Consistent rise pattern day to day

### "My starter won't rise"

**Most likely cause**: Too cold. Yeast activity drops sharply below 72°F.

**Fixes**:
1. Find a warmer spot (top of fridge, inside oven with light on)
2. Use warmer water for feeding (85-90°F)
3. Try a higher hydration (equal parts flour:water by weight)
4. Be patient — new starters can take 10-14 days

## Common Bread Problems

### Dense crumb, no oven spring

| Possible Cause | How to Test | Fix |
|---------------|-------------|-----|
| Underproofed | Poke test springs back fast | Longer bulk ferment |
| Overproofed | Dough is slack, won't hold shape | Shorter bulk or colder temp |
| Weak gluten | Dough tears when stretched | More stretch-and-folds |
| Starter not at peak | Didn't pass float test | Feed 4-6h before mixing |

### Too sour

- Reduce bulk ferment time
- Use more starter (15-20% instead of 10%)
- Keep dough warmer (yeast favored over bacteria)
- Use less whole grain flour

### Not sour enough

- Longer cold retard (24-48h in fridge)
- Use less starter (5-8%)
- Add some rye or whole wheat to the levain
- Longer autolyse (2+ hours)

## My Current Recipe

- 400g bread flour, 50g whole wheat, 50g rye
- 375g water (75% hydration)
- 100g levain (20%)
- 10g salt
- Bulk: 4-5h at 78°F with 4 stretch-and-folds
- Cold retard: 12-16h
- Bake: 500°F covered 20min, 450°F uncovered 25min