Sourdough has a way of humbling you. You can follow the same recipe twice and get completely different results. For a long time I assumed that was just the nature of it — until I started paying closer attention to a few specific things. Here’s what actually moved the needle for me.

1. Tracking the start time of bulk fermentation

It sounds obvious, but I wasn’t doing it consistently. I’d mix the dough, get distracted, and lose track of when bulk actually began. Once I started logging the exact start time, I had a real baseline to work from. Everything else depends on it.

Sourdough baking is part science, part intuition. Most baking apps treat it like a checklist — set a timer, follow the steps, done. But anyone who has baked sourdough knows it doesn’t work that way.

Bulk fermentation time depends on your starter’s activity, your dough temperature, your kitchen’s ambient temperature, and a dozen other factors. A 4-hour bulk at 78°F is a completely different beast from a 4-hour bulk at 68°F.