Troubleshooting Sourdough: 8 Common Issues and How to Fix Them?

Sourdough baking blends craftsmanship with microbiological precision—and even seasoned professionals can hit roadblocks. From sluggish starters to collapsed loaves and gummy crumbs, sourdough’s unpredictable microbial activity often creates baking inconsistencies. The good news? Understanding these issues at their root helps you take back control.

Whether you rely on a live starter in a small artisan bakery or prefer a dehydrated culture like Le’Sourdo® in a high-output kitchen, this guide outlines seven common sourdough problems, their typical causes, and actionable solutions. Let’s demystify fermentation and help you master sourdough with confidence.

1. Weak or Inactive Starter

Symptoms:
• No noticeable rise
• Absence of bubbles or tangy smell
• Dense, rubbery crumb in the finished product

What Went Wrong:
• Poor-quality flour used for feeding
• Incorrect flour-to-water ratios
• Fermenting in cold conditions
• Cross-contamination or neglect

Fixes:
• Use unbleached, high-protein flour and filtered water for feeding
• Adopt a consistent ratio such as 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 by weight
• Maintain a fermentation temperature between 22°C and 27°C
• In commercial setups, consider switching to Le’Sourdo® dehydrated sourdough to maintain consistency and avoid production delays

Pro Tip: Always sanitize your jars and tools, and avoid chlorinated water. If your bakery chain operates across locations, dehydrated sourdough eliminates starter variability and boosts batch reliability

2. No Rise During Bulk Fermentation

Symptoms:
• Dough stays flat with little gas formation
• No increase in dough volume
• Finished bread lacks lift and oven spring

What Went Wrong:
• Weak or underfed starter
• Cold room temperature
• Poor dough strength or too much water

Fixes:
• Ensure starter can double in size within 4–6 hours
• Slightly raise fermentation temperature or extend time
• Strengthen dough by folding every 30–45 minutes during bulk

Pro Tip: In commercial kitchens, pairing sourdough culture with a touch of yeast or acid-regulated improvers provides more tolerance and better fermentation balance.

3. Overproofed Dough

Symptoms:
• Dough feels floppy and tears easily
• Loaf collapses during handling
• Crumb has large holes and feels gummy

What Went Wrong:
• Fermented for too long
• High starter dosage in warm temps
• Dough readiness not assessed

Fixes:
• Reduce fermentation time or lower starter quantity
• Use the poke test—press with a finger; it should spring back slowly
• Adjust temperature and hydration for cold proofing

Pro Tip: If you're after complex flavor without long ferment risks, use Le’Sourdo® powder for taste control with time flexibility.

4. Dense, Tight Crumb

Symptoms:
• Small, even air pockets
• Chewy or compact interior
• Appears underbaked despite dark crust

What Went Wrong:
• Underproofing
• Weak gluten structure
• Low hydration or over-tight shaping

Fixes:
• Look for a 50–80% rise during bulk
• Use autolyse or mix until the windowpane test passes
• Adjust hydration to 70–80%, based on flour type

Pro Tip: Avoid degassing too much during shaping. Always cool bread completely before slicing to prevent a gummy interior.

5. Off-Flavored Bread (Too Sour or Not Sour Enough)

Symptoms:
• Sharp or acidic taste
• Or bland, lacking the typical sourdough tang

What Went Wrong:
• Unbalanced acid production
• Incorrect temperature during fermentation
• Poor feeding frequency

Fixes:
• For milder lactic flavor: Use higher hydration, cooler fermentation (21°C), and more frequent feeds
• For stronger acetic tang: Use a stiff starter and retard dough in cold storage

Pro Tip: Maintain your starter at 100% hydration for balanced acidity. Using a pH meter helps—4.1 to 4.3 is ideal for most commercial sourdoughs.

Le’Sourdo® offers targeted sourdough powders—wheat, rye, or Italian styles—to help you dial in flavor for professional settings.

6. Sticky, Hard-to-Handle Dough

Symptoms:
• Dough sticks excessively to tools and hands
• Tears during shaping
• Lacks structure during final proof

What Went Wrong:
• Hydration too high without proper structure
• Using weak (low-protein) flour
• Dough over-fermented

Fixes:
• Use high-protein bread flour (12–14%)
• Incorporate stretch-and-folds to build strength
• Dust hands and surface with rice flour or semolina

Pro Tip: Use oil or wet hands to manage sticky doughs. Cold bulk fermentation (4–6°C) makes high-hydration doughs firmer and easier to shape.

7. Pale or Uneven Crust

Symptoms:
• Loaf looks dull or under-browned
• Uneven color distribution

What Went Wrong:
• Under-fermentation (lack of sugar for browning)
• Low oven steam
• Low temperature or short bake time

Fixes:
• Fully ferment dough to allow natural sugar development
• Bake at 230–250°C with steam for the first few minutes
• Add malted flour if needed for better coloration
• Fully preheat ovens for frozen or par-baked sourdoughs

Pro Tip: Proper final proofing leads to surface tension, aiding browning. Don’t rush your loaves into the oven—watch the dough, not the clock.

8. Mold or Rapid Staling

Symptoms:
• Visible mold growth in 2–3 days
• Dry interior or stale texture
• Off-odors or sharp aftertaste

What Went Wrong:
• Packaging while still warm
• Low acid in the formula
• Humid storage environment

Fixes:
• Let bread cool completely before packaging
• Use paper bags or MAP packaging for larger volumes

Pro Tip: Sourdough naturally resists mold due to lactic and acetic acids. Use this to your advantage in shelf-life-sensitive products.

Bonus: Why Choose Le’Sourdo® for Commercial Sourdough Success

Managing live sourdough requires time, effort, and skill—ideal for artisan setups, but not always practical for high-volume production.

Le’Sourdo® dehydrated sourdough offers a smarter alternative:

• Provides authentic flavor without the daily feeding routine

• Zero risk of cross-contamination or inconsistency

• Seamless scaling across bakeries or commissary kitchens

• Available in wheat, rye, and Italian white profiles for customization

From rustic breads and crusty loaves to pizza and paninis, Le’Sourdo® helps you bring artisanal sourdough taste to any scale—no unpredictability involved.

Conclusion: Bake Smarter with Science and Strategy

Sourdough issues are solvable once you understand the science behind them. From fermentation dynamics to flour hydration and temperature control, each factor plays a role. By recognizing signs early and adjusting your process, you can achieve consistently high-quality sourdough.

With the help of Le’Sourdo®’s premium sourdough powders, professional bakers can troubleshoot with ease, standardize flavor, and scale production—all while delivering artisan-quality results.

🔗 Explore the complete Le’Sourdo® range here:
https://lesourdo.com/collections/sourdough