Dense or heavy bread

This is the most common sourdough complaint, and it almost always points to one of two things: the starter wasn't ready, or the bulk fermentation didn't go far enough.

Check your starter first. Before mixing dough, your starter should reliably double (or more) within 4-8 hours of a feed at room temperature. If it's sluggish or barely moving, the bread won't rise properly no matter what else you do. Feed it consistently for a few days and wait until it's clearly active before baking.

Then check your bulk ferment. The dough needs to grow by 50-75%, look bubbly on the surface, and wobble when you gently shake the bowl. In a warm kitchen (22-24°C) this takes 5-7 hours. In a cold kitchen (18°C) it can take 10-12 hours or longer. Don't go by the clock alone - go by what the dough looks like. See the recipe for the full visual cues.

Also worth checking: are you using strong white bread flour? Plain or all-purpose flour has lower protein content and produces a noticeably denser loaf.

Gummy or undercooked crumb

Slicing into your loaf to find a dense, paste-like interior is almost always one thing: you cut it too soon. The crumb continues to set as the loaf cools - the steam inside needs to escape gradually and the structure needs time to firm up. Slicing within the first hour traps that moisture and creates the gummy texture.

Wait at least 1-2 hours before cutting. It's genuinely difficult to wait but it makes a real difference.

If you're already waiting and still getting a gummy result, the loaf may be slightly underbaked. The internal temperature should reach 95-98°C (200-210°F) - a cheap probe thermometer takes the guesswork out. If you don't have one, a slightly longer bake (an extra 5-10 minutes with the lid off) usually sorts it.

Flat loaf - spread sideways instead of rising up

A loaf that spreads out into a pancake shape rather than rising upwards has usually lost structural integrity somewhere in the process. The most likely causes:

Over-fermentation is the most common. If the dough fermented too long before shaping, the gluten network breaks down and the dough can no longer hold its shape. Signs: the dough is very slack, sticky, and spreading even before it goes in the oven. It may also smell quite acidic. If this is the problem, shorten your bulk ferment next time and shape a bit earlier.

Weak starter. A starter that isn't at peak activity when used won't generate enough gas to lift the loaf. See the starter guide for how to assess readiness.

Shaping. The shaping step creates surface tension that holds the loaf upright during baking. If the dough wasn't shaped firmly enough, it collapses outward. The shaping guide on the advice page covers the technique in detail.

Wrong flour. Plain flour or low-protein flour can't build the gluten structure needed. Use strong white bread flour (12-14% protein).

Pale, soft crust

If the loaf comes out looking anaemic rather than deep brown and crispy, the Dutch oven didn't get hot enough, or the timing was off.

Preheat longer. The Dutch oven needs to be roasting hot before the dough goes in - preheat it inside the oven for at least 45-60 minutes at full temperature (235°C / 455°F). A Dutch oven that's just "warm" won't give you the crust you're after.

Keep the lid on for the full 20 minutes. The steam generated in the first phase is what drives oven spring and sets the crust. Removing the lid early cuts this short.

After removing the lid, if the crust still looks pale, keep baking. The last 20-25 minutes with the lid off is where the colour develops. Don't rush it out of the oven.

See the gear guide if you're not sure whether your pot is suitable for high-temperature baking.

Crust too hard or thick

The opposite problem - a crust so thick it's difficult to cut through. This usually means the lid-off baking time was too long, or the oven temperature was too high for the final stage.

Try reducing the uncovered baking time by 5-10 minutes and see if that helps. If the crust is browning faster than you'd like, you can also tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last few minutes of the bake.

Storing the baked loaf in a bread bag or wrapped in a tea towel (rather than leaving it exposed) also softens the crust slightly as it cools - whether you want that is a matter of preference.

Not sour enough

Sourness in sourdough is produced by bacteria during fermentation - mainly during the cold proof in the fridge. If the bread tastes mild or almost like regular bread, there are a few easy levers to pull.

Extend the cold proof. A 4-6 hour cold proof gives mild flavour. For more tang, push it to 18-24 hours, or even 36-48 hours. The longer and colder the proof, the more sour bacteria activity.

Check your fridge temperature. A warmer fridge (6-8°C) ferments faster but produces less sour flavour. A colder fridge (2-4°C) slows things down and encourages the bacteria that produce acidity.

Starter age matters. A young starter (under 3-4 months old) tends to produce milder flavour. As it matures, the flavour profile deepens.

Too sour or vinegary

If the bread is unpleasantly acidic, the fermentation went too far. Over-fermentation produces acetic acid (the vinegary taste) rather than the milder lactic acid that gives a pleasant tang.

The fix: shorten the bulk fermentation, shorten the cold proof, or both. Try reducing the cold proof to 8-12 hours and see if that brings it back into balance. Baking the loaf from the fridge without warming it first also helps - the dough stays cold right up until it hits the hot oven, which limits extra fermentation.

Burnt bottom

A scorched base while the rest of the loaf looks fine is a common Dutch oven problem. The cast iron base conducts a lot of direct heat, which can burn the bottom before the sides and top have finished baking.

The easiest fix: place a baking sheet on the oven shelf below the Dutch oven to buffer the direct heat. Alternatively, move the Dutch oven to a higher rack in the oven.

If the problem persists, reduce the oven temperature by 10-15°C and bake for slightly longer to compensate.

Dough too sticky to handle

Sourdough dough is supposed to be wet and sticky - that's not a problem in itself. But there are ways to make it much easier to work with.

Wet hands, not floured hands. Water stops dough from sticking far better than flour for high-hydration doughs. Keep a small bowl of water nearby and wet your hands before every touch.

Let it rest. After the initial mix, cover the dough and leave it for 30-45 minutes before doing anything with it. The gluten relaxes and the flour fully hydrates - the dough becomes noticeably easier to handle.

Work cold. The dough is much easier to shape after its cold proof in the fridge. If you're struggling during shaping, try putting the dough back in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm it up.

A bench scraper is also genuinely useful here - it lets you handle and move the dough without touching it directly.

Starter not rising

A starter that won't rise is usually a temperature or feeding problem, not a dead starter.

Temperature. Starter needs warmth to be active. The ideal is 24-26°C. In a cold kitchen it can be very sluggish - try placing it in a slightly warm oven (just the light on, or a brief blast of heat then turned off), or near a warm appliance. See the starter guide for more on this.

Feeding consistency. An underfed starter runs out of food and goes dormant. Feed it at consistent intervals - once a day at minimum if it's at room temperature - and give it a few days of regular feeding before judging whether it's active.

Water quality. Heavily chlorinated tap water can inhibit the yeast and bacteria in a starter. Switch to filtered or bottled water and see if that makes a difference.

Flour type. Strong white bread flour feeds a starter well. Avoid bleached flour if possible.

If the starter hasn't shown any signs of activity after a week of consistent feeding in a warm spot, it may need a refresh - discard all but a small scraping and feed with fresh flour and water.