08/29/2026
Bulk Fermentation can be hard! That’s the simple truth. And unfortunately it just takes time to learn when it’s done. As a sourdough baker, there are things that I do to ensure my dough is properly fermented.
1. Temperature! You need a thermometer. I’m tracking the temperature of my dough from start to finish. This means even while mixing, through all stretch and folds (or coil folds), and throughout the bulk fermentation process. If your dough is too warm, it will ferment faster, and if it’s too cold, it will take longer. I aim for 77 degrees. I even use an infrared thermometer to check the temp while it’s mixing because the mixer can add heat due to friction. If it’s getting too warm, I slow down the mixer. If it’s too cold, I speed up the mixer.
2. I take notes throughout the entire process. I use a dry erase pen to mark the tops of my bins with notes. This makes it super easy when I have 4-5 bins of dough fermenting all at once.
3. I stagger my dough mixing. I don’t want all of my dough being ready to be shaped at once. That’s a recipe for disaster as some of it WILL get over proofed waiting to be shaped. So, I typically will allow a minimum of 30 minutes in between each mix so I have time built in just in case something happens or comes up. This is good even for mixing small amounts. Don’t feel like you need to rush, give yourself some time.
4. The refrigerator is your best friend! If something happens and you can’t get to the dough as fast as you want, and you don’t want it to overproof, pop it into the fridge! The cold will slow down the fermenting process until you can come back to it.
Be patient. Bulk fermentation is a process that can be very rewarding and very frustrating all at once. It takes time, it takes you learning how your dough develops, what factors in your environment affect your dough and lots and lots of trial and error.
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