everyone7 min read
Troubleshooting
Starters and dough are alive: a living culture of yeast and bacteria. Almost nothing that looks alarming actually is. This page collects the moments that make new bakers panic, and what each one really means. The short version: your starter is very hard to kill.
My starter smells like acetone or vinegar. Is it dead?
A sharp acetone smell means one thing: your starter is hungry. The culture has run through its food and is producing alcohol. It is not dying and it is not spoiled. Feed it, and if the smell keeps returning, feed a little more or a little sooner. It clears within a feed or two.
Feed before judging
A weak starter may simply need more consistent feeding. I usually give it a few steady feeds before deciding it needs a bigger change.
Sourness can shift
If a loaf tastes more sour than I want, I look at fermentation time, starter age and cold proofing. Small timing changes can make the flavour softer.
Smell changes are normal
My starter does not smell exactly the same every day. It may smell fruity, tangy, yeasty or a little sharp depending on when it was last fed.
There's grey liquid on top of my starter
That grey or brownish liquid on top of your starter is called hooch. It is harmless alcohol that separates out when a starter has gone a while without feeding, and it is especially common with fridge storage. Pour it off for a milder flavour, or stir it back in for extra tang, then feed as normal. Hooch is a hunger signal, not a health problem.
Why did my bread come out flat or dense?
A flat or dense loaf almost always traces back to one of three things: the starter was not at full strength, bulk fermentation was cut short or ran too long, or shaping left no surface tension. Check them in that order. One weak link per bake is normal. That is how every baker learns their next lesson.
Dense often means timing
When my loaf turns out dense, I first look at starter strength and fermentation time. It often means the dough needed more activity before baking.
Flat has clues
A flat loaf can come from overproofing, weak shaping or very wet dough. I look at the whole process instead of blaming one step immediately.
Underproofed feels tight
Underproofed dough often feels dense, tight and reluctant to open up. I try giving the next loaf more bulk time and watching for more visible air.
Overproofed feels fragile
Overproofed dough can feel very airy, weak and hard to shape. When that happens, I handle it gently and bake it rather than trying to rescue it too much.
My starter isn't rising. What now?
Usually it is too cool, or it is still young. Move it somewhere warmer, around 24°C / 75°F, and keep feeding on a steady rhythm. Most quiet starters wake up within a few days.
Is this mould?
A dry crust or a dark liquid layer is not mould. Fuzzy spots are, and pink or orange streaks mean unwanted bacteria. In both cases, throw the jar away and start fresh. It happens rarely, and the next one usually goes well.
How do I know if my starter has gone bad?
There are only two real death signs: fuzzy mould, or a pink or orange tint. Both mean throw it away and start fresh, no rescue attempts. Everything else that looks scary, like grey liquid, sharp smells or total stillness, is a hungry starter, not a dead one. When in doubt, feed it for two or three days and watch. A dead starter stays silent; a hungry one answers.
How should my starter smell?
Expect the smell to change through the day: mild and yoghurty after a feed, pleasantly tangy at its peak, sharp like vinegar or acetone once it gets hungry. All of that is normal. The only smells that mean trouble arrive together with the real death signs: mould or a pink tint. Smell alone almost never means a starter is lost.
My crust is pale, burst open, or rock hard
Pale needs more heat
A pale crust often tells me the loaf could use more heat, more time or better steam. I adjust one thing at a time so I can learn what helped.
Blowouts need direction
When a loaf bursts somewhere unexpected, I look at scoring and proofing. A clear score gives the bread a place to expand.
Steam helps expansion
Steam keeps the crust flexible in the first part of baking. That gives the loaf more time to expand before the crust sets.
Let it cool
If I cut bread too soon, the crumb can feel gummy even when the loaf is baked. I try to let the bread cool properly before slicing.
My dough is impossibly sticky
Use wet hands
When dough is sticky, I wet my hands instead of adding flour right away. It keeps the dough hydrated and makes handling much calmer.
Sticky is not failure
Sourdough often starts out stickier than regular bread dough. I try to use wet hands and patience before reaching for extra flour.
Change one variable
When a bake disappoints me, I try changing only one thing next time. It makes troubleshooting feel more like learning and less like guessing.