There are a wide variety of options to obtain your starter; timing is a consideration for each.

-Ask a friend who bakes sourdough to share some with you. They’ll be thrilled you asked and happy to share!

-Purchase a starter online (King Arthur Baking, Amazon, Etsy, etc. Search ‘buy sourdough starter culture’).

-Check your local grocery store or bread bakery.

If you’re feeling ambitious and have flour and water plus a little extra time, you can make your own starter! Learn more about starters, timing and commonly asked questions here: Starter 101

Your starter is ready when it’s doubled in volume (within 4-8 hours is ideal), shows visible air pockets (bubbles) throughout which means the yeast is active, has a tangy smell like yogurt or sour beer and passes the “float test” (a spoonful floats in water). For more questions and concerns on starters, visit our post for more information: Starter 101

Here are five key factors to consider if your loaf bakes out flat:

– Weak or Inactive Starter: Your starter may not be mature or strong enough. If it doesn’t double in size and peak within 4-8 hours at room temperature, it needs to be fed regularly (we recommend a 1:2:2 feeding ratio every time your starter is just past its peak height) until it doubles within that time range before you bake with it.

– Under or Over- Fermented in the bulk fermentation stage: Whether or not your dough was bulk fermented for the appropriate amount of time, before the shaping and cold proofing steps, greatly contributes to a successful rise in your loaf. After performing all the strengthening folds, the dough needs to continue to bulk ferment. Under-fermented dough will not rise very much in the oven because it hasn’t developed enough gas. Over-fermented dough means too much gas was produced and the gluten structure broke down which causes the loaf to collapse in the oven. Check out the booklet to learn visual cues to determine if your loaf was under-fermented or over-fermented after baking or learn more here:Bread Baking Analysis

– Fermentation Temperature: If the environment that you are preparing your dough is on the colder side (below 68°F), that will slow down the total fermentation time and slow down the progress of the yeast cells from your starter. Try to keep your dough in a consistently warm spot (like inside your microwave, an oven with just the light turned on, or use a proofing box). Aim for 75-80°F during bulk fermentation. Conversely, if your dough is kept in an environment hotter than 80°F the fermentation will speed up and you will have to be careful not to over-ferment your dough before shaping.

– Incorrect Flour: If you use a low-protein flour (under 10%), it will be difficult to create a strong gluten network within the dough which contributes to good rise.

– Improper Shaping: During shaping, if you do not create enough surface tension on the dough, it will expand more outwards than upwards resulting in a flatter loaf.

Flour with a 12-14% protein content is ideal for sourdough bread. More protein means more gluten development which is key for bread with a satisfying chewy texture and good rise. We recommend a 50/50 blend of whole wheat flour and unbleached bread flour such as King Arthur Baking Bread Flour and Whole Wheat Flour.

Bulk fermentation is your initial dough rise, where the fermentation process takes place. When you notice all these visual cues, your dough is done bulk fermenting and is ready to be shaped:

– The dough has expanded inside the bowl and has nearly doubled in height.

– The top edge of the dough should form what looks like a shoulder because it is domed and is pulling away from the wall.

– Visible gas bubbles on the surface of the dough as well as air pockets seen underneath through the glass bowl.

– The dough surface will feel tacky and won’t stick to your finger when lightly touched with a dry finger.

– When lightly shaken, the dough should not be stiff but should slightly jiggle due to the amount of air inside.

A crispy crust is achieved by steam that escapes from the dough in an enclosed environment which keeps the surface soft enough for the initial expansion (oven spring) and then by finishing baking with the lid off sets the crust and turns it golden brown. Our Simply Sourdough Baking Pan provides this ideal environment and leaves enough room for the dough to expand as it bakes.

Yes, you should do at least one deep expansion score before you bake. An expansion score gives the dough a way to evenly expand in the oven. It is also the deepest score that usually runs from one end of the loaf to the other (at least ¼ to ½ inch deep). Try your best to perform the expansion score in one smooth motion, holding the lame at a slight angle (30-45°F).

A dense crumb with large hollow pockets often signals under-fermented dough, which can result from using a weak starter or ending bulk fermentation too early. An over-fermented loaf will likely be flatter with little oven spring due to broken-down gluten. Observing your crumb after each bake is one of the best ways to improve your sourdough technique.

Learn more: Bread Baking Analysis

If your dough has over fermented to the point that it has more than doubled and is very jiggly, you can try your best to shape and bake it but it will turn out very flat. You can pivot and use this dough to make focaccia bread instead!

Sourdough keeps for 3-5 days on the counter in a bread bag or box, cut-side down and 2-3 months in the freezer. In a freezer-safe bag, store the whole baked loaf or pre-slice the entire loaf before freezing and take slices out as needed. Slices toast up beautifully within minutes and taste like they’re fresh from the oven. You will notice that sourdough bread rarely if ever develops mold and will last much longer than store-bought bread with preservatives; this is due to the acidic nature of the fermentation process.

Learn more: Post Baking Analysis

Sourdough discard is the portion that is removed when feeding your starter. Rather than throwing away, try adding discard to delicious recipes. Check out our sourdough discard recipes ideas