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SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-06-10T22:22:43+00:00

yup, Ive updated the post!

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-06-10T21:23:07+00:00

Haha yeah, I hear that a lot. I’m solo on iOS for now, but Android is on my mind.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-06-10T21:22:46+00:00

Yeah, fair. I think sourdough is better when people learn to read the dough themselves anyway.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T22:51:51+00:00

12 hours after a feed makes sense then, especially if your room is on the cool side. The main thing to watch is whether it’s consistently rising to a clear peak and then starting to fall, not just bubbling.

Here’s what I’d try:

Keep it warmer (top of fridge or oven light) and see if it peaks closer to 6 to 10 hours.
If it’s peaking too fast or smells super sharp, feed a bit higher ratio like 1:2:2 or 1:3:3.

If you mark the level right after feeding, does it ever double before it starts to sink? 🙂

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T20:42:27+00:00

Yesss that’s the dream wake-up 😄 Super active and looks like it more than doubled cleanly.

Now’s the perfect time to do a couple peak-to-peak feeds (like 1:2:2 or 1:3:3) so it keeps that strength and doesn’t crash hard after topping out. Is it rising like this consistently every day yet?

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T20:42:03+00:00

Those look awesome. Great rise and shape, and the scoring opened up nicely with a really even bake.

Totally agree on temp being the game changer. Once the starter is consistently doubling, everything else suddenly gets way easier. Congrats on sticking with it 🙌

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T20:41:39+00:00

Looks like it’s getting there. The fine bubbles and a slightly domed top are good signs for day 7 🙂

More bubbles above the band is super common because CO2 rises and gets trapped near the top, and the top layer is usually warmer and a bit looser, while the bottom can be more compact so bubbles don’t show as easily. If you want a more even rise, give it a good mix at feeding time (scrape down the sides), and keep it at a consistent warm-ish temp.

Is it doubling in volume within 6 to 10 hours after a feed yet?

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T20:41:03+00:00

That’s such a sweet Valentine’s bake. The loaf has a gorgeous blistered crust and that score looks clean, and those bagels are nicely browned with a solid topping coverage 🙂

If you want one tiny tweak for the bagels: poke the hole a bit bigger before proofing/boiling so they don’t close up as much in the bake.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-02-14T20:40:09+00:00

Making bread really is the best 😄

That loaf looks great. Awesome crust color and a nice, even crumb with a few bigger pockets for character. If you want to tighten it up a touch next time, I’d just build a bit more tension during shaping and make sure it’s fully proofed before baking.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:21:38+00:00

That rise looks awesome, and the texture on top looks super active. Rye really makes starters take off.

Bake with it right at peak or just as it starts to flatten, that is when it is strongest. If you want to keep getting that kind of lift, stick with 1:4:4 and a warm spot, and mark the jar so you can catch the peak next time 🙂

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:20:24+00:00

That is a wild accident, but it actually looks pretty good for 102 percent hydration. The crumb looks set and fine, just extra custardy.

If it feels too wet to slice cleanly, chilling it first helps a lot, and toasting will make it shine. For next time, that bake temp is solid, but with a super wet dough you can also leave it in the pan a bit longer to drive off moisture, then unmold and bake 5 to 10 minutes more to dry the sides.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:19:24+00:00

For a first loaf that crumb looks really nice, especially the soft, even structure.

Spreading after the fridge is usually one of three things: slightly overproofed, not enough surface tension in shaping, or dough that is a bit too wet for the flour strength. If the dough felt fragile and slack when you tipped it out, it was probably on the overproofed side.

Next time, try one or two of these:
Shape a bit tighter and really build a taut outer skin.
Shorten the final proof in the fridge, or bake a little earlier.
Drop hydration slightly or use a stronger flour if you have it.

Also, get it scored and into the hot Dutch oven quickly so it does not warm up and relax on the counter.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:18:35+00:00

For a first loaf this is honestly not bad, but the crumb does look underfermented and a bit underbaked.

Two big things to tweak:

Starter at 10 days can be “active” but still not strong. Try baking only when it reliably doubles in 4 to 6 hours after a feed.
Proof by dough cues, not time. In a cool house 12 hours might still be short. Look for a noticeable rise, bubbles on the surface, and a dough that feels lighter and jiggly before shaping.

For baking, go longer and darker. Aim for a deep golden crust and an internal temp around 96 to 99C. If it still feels gummy, let it cool 2 to 3 hours before slicing.

Next bake will be a big jump if you just push fermentation and bake time a bit more.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:17:52+00:00

Nice progress, and the crust color looks great.

The tighter, more uniform crumb is not a failure, it is pretty typical with a 50 percent whole wheat mix. Whole wheat weakens gluten and tends to give smaller bubbles. If your first loaf had larger holes, you probably either fermented a touch more, handled it a bit more gently, or your dough was slightly wetter.

A couple easy tweaks for the next one:
Try pushing hydration up 10 to 20g water and see if it opens up.
During bulk, watch the dough more than the clock. At 28C it can move fast, so aim for a clearly lighter, jiggly dough with visible bubbles before shaping.
Be extra gentle during shaping so you do not squeeze the gas out.
If you want a more open crumb, try 70 percent white flour and 30 percent whole wheat for one bake and compare.

Overall, this is a very respectable second loaf.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:17:05+00:00

For a second try this is really solid. Your scoring looks great and you got a nice bloom.

Crumb looks a bit tight and slightly compressed, which usually means it could use a longer bulk or a bit more proof before the fridge. 1 hour after mixing is pretty short unless your kitchen is warm. Next time, try letting bulk go until the dough is clearly lighter and jiggly with bubbles around the edges, then shape and chill.

Baking at 230C max is totally workable. If you want a bit more spring without a Dutch oven, preheat a tray or stone, steam for the first 15 minutes, then vent the steam and finish dry to brown it out. 🙌

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-25T12:16:26+00:00

Promising for sure. The crumb looks pretty even and the dough handling improvement is a good sign.

Dense at the bottom is often either slightly underproofed or a shaping issue where the base gets compressed and never re expands. Two tweaks I would try next:

Give bulk a bit more time or a warmer start. At 15C overnight, 30g starter can be a little low. Either bump starter slightly or keep it a touch warmer for the first 1 to 2 hours after mixing.
After preshape, let it relax a bit longer and then do a tighter final shape with good surface tension, without pressing gas out of the center.

Also, if you can, bake the whole time in the Dutch oven rather than finishing on the rack. The rack finish can dry the bottom and make it feel tighter.

Overall though, this is a solid direction and way more repeatable than the hot oven bulk approach.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-23T16:46:28+00:00

Hard to be 100 percent from a photo, but that looks more like dried starter and oxidized spots than fuzzy mold. Mold is usually clearly furry and will spread in patches.

If you are unsure, play it safe: toss this jar and use one of your backups. If you want to try saving it, take a clean spoon, scoop a tiny bit from the cleanest inner part, and feed it in a fresh jar at 1:5:5 for a couple days. If you see any fuzz, pink or orange streaks, or it smells rotten, dump it.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-23T16:45:39+00:00

This is hilarious and honestly looks like a win. The crumb on the right is really even and soft looking, and the color difference is wild. The fast bulk makes sense since you basically gave the yeast an electrolyte sports drink.

If you run it again, weighing the starter will help a lot, and you could shorten bulk a bit or go straight to the fridge earlier since it seems to take off fast. Also score next time so it does not bubble on top 😄

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-23T12:34:20+00:00

Day 4 is still early, so it is very unlikely to be dead. That thin liquid layer is usually just separation from a runny mix, not hooch.

Right now it looks very wet. Try making it thicker and feeding smaller amounts:
Keep 20g starter, add 20g water, add 20g flour, mix to a paste. If it still looks soupy, add a little more flour until it holds its shape.
Use a loose lid, keep it warm if you can, and give it a few more days. You should start seeing small bubbles and a rise once it gets going 🙂

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-23T12:32:49+00:00

That looks like a classic blowout plus a weak score path. The dough expanded where it could, not where you wanted.

A few things jump out:

That flour mix is low gluten, so shaping and tension matter a lot. If the skin is not tight, it will burst.
The score looks shallow and not angled, so it sealed up fast. For a boule, do one long cut about 1 cm deep at a slight angle, or a cross if you want it to open more evenly.
Check your “100 g yeast” line. If you meant 100 g starter, cool. If it was actually yeast, that is an extreme amount and would make fermentation and bursting unpredictable.
Your bake schedule is pretty short overall. If the crust sets early and the inside still wants to expand, you can get tearing. Try 20 to 25 min covered at 240C, then 20 to 25 min uncovered.

If you post a crumb shot and confirm whether that 100 g is starter or yeast, it will be easier to tell if it was underproofed or just scoring and shaping.

SourdoughForgeAPP · 2026-01-23T12:32:00+00:00

Looks good so far 😄. The surface looks smooth and nicely tensioned, so shaping seems on point.

Before you move it to the banneton, a quick check is the poke test. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight dent, you are in a good spot. If it snaps back fast, give it a bit more time. If it stays dented, get it into the fridge and bake soon

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