I've helped hundreds of bakers troubleshoot their sourdough, and the same 3 problems come up every single time.

1. You're not reading your starter. Doubling in size means nothing if you don't know the timeline. A healthy starter should peak in 4-6 hours at room temp. If it takes 12+, your starter is sluggish — feed it twice a day with a 1:5:5 ratio for a week.

2. You're scared of hydration. Most beginners drop to 65% hydration because the dough is "too sticky." But 70-75% is where you get that open crumb and crispy crust. Use wet hands, work the dough on the counter, and stop adding flour.

3. You're baking too cool. If your oven doesn't hit 475°F+ with a preheated Dutch oven, you're steaming wrong. That initial blast of heat is what gives you oven spring. 25 min covered, 20 min uncovered. Every time.

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