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The Trouble Atlas.

Every bad loaf has a reason. Search by symptom — the crust problem, the crumb problem, the starter problem that woke you up at midnight — and find out what went wrong and how to fix it.

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Crumb Problems

3 entries

AT-01

Gummy Crumb

The inside is dense, wet, almost translucent. It collapses when pressed. Tastes fine, but wrong.

The loaf slices heavy. Tight with almost no visible holes. Edible, but not what sourdough should be.

Very common

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Rise Problems

4 entries

AT-02

No Oven Spring

Goes in, comes out looking the same. No dramatic bloom, no ear, no dome. Just flat.

Common

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AT-03

Flat / Spreading Loaf

The dough spreads sideways instead of rising up. Wide and low instead of domed.

Dough is slack, deflating, sticks to everything. Poke test indent stays. Gluten exhausted.

Dense crumb, burst sides, tight crust tears. The loaf needed more time before baking.

Very common

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Flavor Problems

2 entries

AT-05

Too Sour

Aggressively acidic. Sharp, vineoso, overwhelming. The flavor dominates everything.

Fine bread, no sourdough character. No tang, no complexity. Could have been made with dry yeast.

Common

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Starter Problems

3 entries

AT-07

Starter Won't Rise

Fed it hours ago. Still flat. No bubbles. No dome. It looks dead. It probably isn't.

Very common

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AT-08

Hooch / Liquid on Top

Gray watery liquid sitting on top of the starter. Smells like alcohol. Looks alarming. It's not.

Very common

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AT-11

Mold and Pink Streaks

Fuzzy growth, or streaks of pink or orange. The one problem here that isn't fixable.

Uncommon

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Bake & Handling

2 entries

AT-12

Burnt Bottom

Top is perfect, base is black and bitter. Conducted heat from the pot, not the oven.

Glued to your hands and the counter. Usually not too much water — usually dry hands.

Very common

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Got your bread in front of you? The Crumb Analyzer lets you match your cross-section to an illustrated reference — nicely proofed, slightly under, significantly over — and gives you a specific diagnosis and fix steps. Faster than searching the Atlas if you can see the crumb.

Don't see your problem? The Atlas is growing — new entries added regularly.

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