💬 FAQ

Before Your First Bake

How long does a complete bake take?

A full sourdough bake takes about 10–12 hours from mixing your dough to pulling a finished loaf out of the oven. That sounds like a lot, but almost all of it is passive — the dough is sitting on your counter doing its thing while you go about your day. Plan to start in the morning and have bread by early evening.

How much time do I actually need to spend in the kitchen?

About 45 minutes of active hands-on time, spread across the day. The rest is waiting — for autolyse, stretch and folds, bulk fermentation, and proofing. The app sends you a push notification when it's time to do something. You don't need to watch the clock.

What if something comes up mid-bake?

Life happens. If you need to close the app or step away, the app saves your exact place automatically. When you come back, it restores right where you left off with your timers recalculated from the actual time elapsed. You won't lose your bake.

Do I need to be home all day?

For most of the bake, no. The long passive steps — bulk fermentation and final proof — can run while you're running errands, working from home, or doing other things nearby. The only steps that require your full attention are the hands-on ones, and the app tells you exactly when those are coming.

Getting Started

How do I know my starter is ready to bake with?

Your starter is ready when it reliably doubles in size within 4–8 hours of feeding, smells pleasantly sour and yeasty (not like acetone or nail polish remover), and passes the float test — drop a small spoonful in water and it should float. If it sinks and your starter is relatively young, give it more time and keep feeding it daily.

How long does it take to build a starter from scratch?

Usually 7–14 days. The first few days can look discouraging — you may see little activity, some liquid separation (called hooch), and possibly a funky smell. This is normal. Keep feeding it. By day 5–7 most starters are showing consistent activity. By day 10–14 most are reliable enough to bake with.

What flour should I use?

Any unbleached, unfortified flour works. For consistency — especially when troubleshooting with others in the community — we recommend either Kirkland Signature Organic Unbleached Flour from Costco or King Arthur Bread Flour. Both are proven performers that limit the variables. See the equipment page for links.

Do I need a Dutch oven?

It's by far the best tool for home sourdough baking. The lid traps steam in the first half of the bake, which lets the crust stay soft long enough for the loaf to fully expand before it sets. Without it, the crust firms up too quickly and you get a denser loaf. A cast iron Dutch oven is the single most impactful piece of equipment you can own. See our equipment page for specifics.

Should I start with a Dutch oven or a loaf pan?

If you're new to sourdough or have had a few tough bakes, start with the loaf pan. It teaches you the core science — fermentation, proofing, and technique — without the added complexity of shaping a boule. The loaf pan is more forgiving, easier to read, and gives you a higher probability of a successful first bake.

Once you've got a successful loaf under your belt, the boule is waiting for you. The Dutch oven method isn't harder — it just adds one more variable to manage while you're still learning the fundamentals.

Both vessels are fully supported in the Sourdough Sanity Full Bake Guide. The app guides you through either path with the same step-by-step process, timers, and push notifications.

Starter Maintenance

How often do I need to feed my starter?

If it lives on your counter at room temperature, feed it once a day. If it's in the fridge, feed it once a week. That's it. A lot of people overthink starter maintenance. The goal is to keep the yeast and bacteria fed and happy — daily at room temp, weekly in the fridge.

What's the liquid on top of my starter?

That's hooch — a mix of alcohol and water produced when the starter runs out of food and the yeast starts producing ethanol. It means your starter is hungry and needs feeding. You can stir it back in (it'll give a slightly more sour flavor) or pour it off. Either is fine. It is not a sign that your starter is dying.

My starter smells like acetone or nail polish. Is it dead?

Probably not dead, just very hungry and stressed. A strong acetone smell usually means the starter hasn't been fed in too long and the acetic acid bacteria are dominating. Feed it twice a day for a few days, keep it somewhere warm (75–78°F is ideal), and the smell should improve. If it develops pink or orange streaks, that's contamination and you should start over.

Can I revive a starter that's been in the fridge for months?

Usually yes. Take it out, discard all but a tablespoon, feed it with fresh flour and water, and give it 24 hours at room temperature. It may take 3–5 feedings over a few days to get back to full strength, but starters are remarkably resilient. The older and more established the starter, the easier it comes back.

The Bake

How do I know when bulk fermentation is done?

The dough should be noticeably larger (50–75% rise is a common target, though this varies), feel airy and slightly jiggly when you shake the container, and show bubbles on the surface and sides. The edges will look domed rather than flat. Don't rely on time alone — use the Proofing Calculator app as a starting point, but let the dough tell you when it's ready.

What does underproofed bread look like?

Dense crumb with uneven holes clustered toward the top. The loaf may have a "flying crust" — where the crust separates from the body of the bread. It'll taste a little gummy or doughy in the middle. The fix is more bulk fermentation time next bake.

What does overproofed bread look like?

Flat, dense loaf that didn't spring up much in the oven. The crumb is very uniform and fine rather than open. The dough may have felt very slack and sticky before baking, hard to shape without deflating. The fix is less bulk fermentation time, or cooler temperatures during fermentation.

My bread isn't getting an ear. What's wrong?

A few common causes: the dough was overproofed and had no oven spring left; the score wasn't deep enough or at the right angle (aim for about 30–45 degrees, not straight down); the oven wasn't hot enough; or the dough didn't have enough surface tension from shaping. Usually it's a proofing issue.

Can I bake sourdough without scoring it?

Technically yes, but the loaf will burst unpredictably wherever the crust is weakest. Scoring controls where the expansion happens, gives you the ear, and helps the loaf open up fully. It takes 30 seconds with a lame or a sharp knife. Don't skip it.

What temperature should I bake at?

475°F (245°C) for the entire bake. High heat with the lid on creates steam and drives oven spring. Removing the lid develops crust color and texture. Adjust the lid-off time based on how dark you like your crust.

Flour and Ingredients

What's the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour?

Protein content. Bread flour typically runs 12–14% protein; all-purpose is usually 10–12%. Higher protein means more gluten development, which gives you a stronger dough structure, better oven spring, and a more open crumb. Both work for sourdough. Bread flour gives you more to work with, especially as a beginner.

Can I use whole wheat or rye flour?

Yes, and both are worth experimenting with. Whole wheat adds flavor complexity and some nutrition but makes the dough stickier and denser — start by substituting 10–20% of your bread flour with whole wheat. Rye is excellent in small amounts (5–10%) for flavor and also feeds your starter particularly well. Both absorb more water than white flour, so you may need to adjust hydration slightly.

What hydration should I use?

Our beginner recipe uses about 70% hydration (331g water to 471g flour), which is manageable without being too slack. High-hydration doughs (80%+) produce more open crumbs but are significantly harder to handle. If you're new to sourdough, stick to 68–72% until you're comfortable with the feel of the dough, then experiment from there.

Does the salt matter?

Yes — salt is not optional. It controls fermentation speed (a dough without salt ferments too fast and loses structure), develops flavor significantly, and strengthens gluten. Use non-iodized salt. Iodized salt can inhibit the wild yeast in your starter. Kosher salt or sea salt are both fine.

Timing and Planning

Can I slow down fermentation to fit my schedule?

Yes. Cold retarding — putting the shaped dough in the fridge after bulk fermentation — is one of the most useful tools in sourdough baking. You can retard the dough overnight or up to 16–18 hours. It develops flavor, makes scoring easier on cold dough, and gives you flexibility to bake when it suits you rather than when the dough is ready.

How long does sourdough bread keep?

A well-baked sourdough loaf keeps well at room temperature for 3–5 days stored cut-side down on a cutting board or in a bread bag. The natural acidity from fermentation acts as a preservative. Don't refrigerate it — the fridge accelerates staling. For longer storage, slice and freeze.

Can I bake same day, or do I need to cold retard?

You can absolutely bake same day. Same-day bakes work well — cold retarding just gives you more flexibility and flavor development. Both approaches produce excellent bread.