Learn as you loaf
Sourdough makes more sense when you know what to watch.
These guides explain the ideas behind the numbers in plain language. Read one before your next bake, change one thing, and let the dough teach you the rest.
A note for new bakers
You do not need to master fermentation science before making good bread. Start with a dependable formula, pay attention to what your dough looks and feels like, and keep notes. A loaf that comes out a little squat is not a failed experiment. It is still bread—and it usually has something useful to tell you.
Baker’s percentages without the headache
Learn why flour is always 100%, what the other numbers mean, and how a little math gives you far more freedom in the kitchen.
Read the guide 02Dough feelHydration: what the number can—and cannot—tell you
Understand how water changes dough feel, handling, crumb, and structure without treating higher hydration as a merit badge.
Read the guide 03IngredientsHow flour changes your sourdough
A beginner’s guide to all-purpose, bread, whole wheat, and rye flour—and what happens when you blend them.
Read the guide 04Dough structureWhat is gluten—and why does sourdough need it?
Meet the stretchy protein network that holds fermentation gas, supports a loaf, and changes throughout the sourdough process.
Read the guide 05Dough handlingStretch & fold or coil fold?
Learn how both techniques build strength, when each is most useful, and how to tell when your dough has had enough.
Read the guide 06Final fermentationCold proof or counter proof?
Compare timing, flavor, scoring, and fermentation so you can choose the final proof that works for your loaf and schedule.
Read the guide 07Crumb goalsHow to make your crumb “Instagram open”
The real roles of fermentation, flour, hydration, handling, and proofing in creating that wildly photogenic open crumb.
Read the guide