Troubleshooting & Fixes: diagnosing what went wrong
A dense, gummy crumb is one of the 3 most common sourdough complaints, and it's usually caused by underproofing by 1 to 2 hours or slicing the loaf before it's fully cooled, not a weak starter. This hub covers flat loaves, overly sour flavor, sticky dough, and crumb problems, each matched to its most likely root cause first. The starter troubleshooter narrows down starter-specific issues before you blame the recipe.
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All guides on Troubleshooting & Fixes
How to Make Sourdough Bread Less Sour
Love sourdough but want a milder flavor? These simple adjustments to your process will give you a sweeter, less tangy loaf without sacrificing texture.
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Why Your Sourdough Dough Is Too Sticky to Handle (and What to Actually Do About It)
Sticky dough isn't always a problem — but when it's unworkable, you need real solutions. Here's how to tell the difference between normal tacky dough and a hydration disaster, plus six fixes that actually work.
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Why Is My Sourdough Gummy Inside? Every Fix I Know
You nailed the crust, the shape looks great, you cut it open and the inside is wet, sticky, and gummy. Here is every reason that happens and what to do about each one.
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Why Your Sourdough Smells Like Nail Polish Remover
That sharp, acetone-like smell from your starter is alarming but not dangerous. Here is what causes it and exactly how to fix it.
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How to Make Sourdough Starter More Active
Is your starter sluggish, slow to rise, or barely doubling? Here are proven strategies to boost its activity and get it reliably peaking on schedule.
Read guide →Why Your Sourdough Keeps Spreading Flat (And How to Fix Your Shaping)
That pancake-shaped loaf isn't a fermentation problem. It's a shaping problem. Here are the techniques that finally gave me tall, round loaves with real oven spring.
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High-Altitude Sourdough Baking Adjustments
Baking above 3,000 feet? Your sourdough behaves differently up there. Here is a complete guide to adjusting every variable for altitude.
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Troubleshooting Gummy Sourdough Bread
Your sourdough looks perfect on the outside but the crumb is gummy, sticky, or doughy inside? Here are the most likely causes and fixes.
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Why Your Sourdough Crust Is Too Thick (and How to Fix It)
A thick, jaw-breaking crust ruins an otherwise perfect loaf. Here are the most common causes and exactly what to change in your process.
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Sourdough in Hot Weather: Summer Baking Tips
When your kitchen hits 85°F, sourdough goes into overdrive. Here is how to slow things down and still bake great bread when the temperature climbs.
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Why Your Sourdough Is Flat: The Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Flat sourdough is the most common complaint among home bakers. This guide covers every possible cause, from starter health to oven setup, with specific fixes for each one.
Read guide →Reading Your Crumb: What the Inside of Your Bread Is Telling You
Your bread's crumb is a diagnostic report on every decision you made during the bake. Learn to read it and you will know exactly what to adjust next time.
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7 Tips for Better Oven Spring in Sourdough Bread
Oven spring is the dramatic rise your bread gets in the first minutes of baking. If yours is underwhelming, these seven adjustments can make a significant difference.
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Why Is My Sourdough Crumb Dense? Common Causes and Fixes
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7 Sourdough Myths That Hold Bakers Back
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Why Is My Sourdough Flat? Troubleshooting Guide
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Sticky Dough Everywhere: Understanding and Mastering Hydration
Your dough is sticking to everything, your hands, the counter, your self-esteem. Here’s why high hydration dough behaves the way it does and how to work with it instead of fighting it.
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Sourdough Too Sour? How to Control the Flavor
Your bread is coming out way too tangy and the family is making faces at the dinner table. Here’s the science behind sourness in sourdough and exactly how to dial it up or down.
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Crumb Too Dense: Causes and Tips for an Open Crumb Structure
If your sourdough crumb looks more like a doorstop than the airy, hole-filled slices you see everywhere, this guide breaks down exactly what causes density and how to open things up.
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Sourdough Bread Didn’t Rise? 5 Reasons and What to Change
Flat sourdough loaf staring back at you? Before you toss it, let’s figure out exactly what went wrong. Here are the five most common reasons your bread didn’t rise and how to fix each one.
Read guide →Why Is My Sourdough Flat? 7 Common Causes and Fixes
Flat sourdough loaves are frustrating but fixable. Learn the 7 most common reasons your bread isn't rising and exactly how to fix each one.
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Rescue Your Sourdough Starter: 7 Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Starter not rising? Smells like nail polish? Covered in hooch? Don't throw it out. Here are 7 common starter problems with easy fixes.
Read guide →New guides on Troubleshooting & Fixes are added regularly and appear here automatically as soon as they go live.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my sourdough crumb gummy instead of light and airy?
Slicing before the loaf has fully cooled (at least 1-2 hours) is the most common cause, since starch is still setting internally and cutting releases trapped steam too early. Underproofing and underbaking are the next most common causes, both leaving excess moisture in the crumb.
Why does my loaf come out flat instead of holding its shape?
Overproofing is the most frequent cause — the dough has used up its structural strength before baking, so it spreads instead of rising in the oven. A weak or underdeveloped gluten structure from insufficient stretch-and-folds is the second most common cause.
My bread tastes too sour — how do I fix that?
A cooler bulk fermentation (68-72°F instead of warmer) and a shorter overall fermentation time both reduce the acetic acid that creates sharp sourness, favoring the milder lactic acid instead. Using a younger, more recently-fed starter also produces a milder flavor than an older, hungrier one.
Why is my dough always too sticky to shape?
High hydration (80%+) dough is inherently stickier and needs wet hands and a bench scraper rather than more flour, which changes the recipe's ratios and can toughen the final crumb. True over-hydration for your skill level, not a flaw in the recipe, is usually the real issue — dropping hydration by 5% often solves it while you build technique.
Why does my bread smell like nail polish remover?
That smell comes from excess acetaldehyde and ethanol produced by an overfermented or overly hungry starter, usually from skipping a feeding or fermenting too long between feeds. Feeding more frequently and using the starter closer to its peak activity resolves it within 1 to 2 feeding cycles.
Why didn't my sourdough rise at all?
An inactive or underfed starter is the most common cause — test it with a float test or check it's roughly doubling within 4 to 8 hours of feeding before blaming the recipe. Cold dough temperature (below 70°F) is the second most common cause, since fermentation slows significantly in cooler conditions.