TooSour.

The bread is aggressively acidic. It overwhelms everything you put on it. It's not pleasantly tangy — it's sharp, vinegary, and a bit much.

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sourdough fixes

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1. most common

   Long cold retard

   Extended cold fermentation (18–36 hours in the fridge) dramatically increases acetic acid — the vinegary acid produced by bacteria at cold temperatures. This is intentional in some recipes but produces very sour bread if you're not expecting it.
2. common

   Stiff starter

   Stiff starters (below 80% hydration) favor acetic acid production over lactic acid, producing sharper sourness. The Poilâne levain is a classic example — deliberately stiff, deliberately mild. But a stiff starter baked with a long cold retard will be very sour.
3. common

   Warm, long bulk fermentation

   Letting bulk fermentation go too long at warm temperatures produces more acid overall. The loaf hasn't overproofed structurally but has accumulated a lot of acidity.
4. occasional

   High whole grain percentage

   Rye in particular accelerates fermentation and contributes strongly to sour flavor. Even 10–20% rye in the mix noticeably increases sourness.

1. Nothing for this bake

   Sourness can't be removed from a finished loaf. If it's too sharp for your taste, pair it with something sweet and fatty — good butter, honey, ripe fruit. The acidity works well with these.
2. Use it for savory applications

   Very sour bread makes excellent tartines, is great with strong cheese, and handles smoked meats better than milder bread. Let the flavor work for you.

1. Shorten or skip the cold retard

   Reduce overnight fridge time from 16 hours to 8, or skip it entirely and bake the same day after a 2-hour room-temp final proof.
2. Increase starter hydration

   Move toward a 100% hydration (liquid) starter. Wetter starters favor lactic acid — the smooth, yogurt-like sourness — over acetic acid. The flavor becomes rounder and milder.
3. Use more white flour

   Replace some whole grain flour with high-extraction white flour. Whole grains contribute both fermentation speed and flavor intensity.
4. Bake at lower bulk temperature

   A slightly cooler kitchen (68°F vs 75°F) produces less acetic acid. Don't go so cold that fermentation stalls — just take the edge off.
5. Use starter earlier in its cycle

   Using starter at or just before peak (rather than after it's started falling) means less accumulated acidity. A slightly less ripe starter = slightly less sour bread.