The Secret to Better Sourdough? It’s Not Your Starter... It’s Temperat – The Sourdough Way

If sourdough has ever felt unpredictable, confusing, or like it has a mind of its own…
this might just be your aha moment.

Because one of the biggest factors in sourdough success isn’t your flour, your starter, or even your recipe.

It’s temperature.

Once you understand how temperature affects your starter and dough, sourdough suddenly begins to make sense and you stop second-guessing every step.

🌡️ Temperature Controls Everything

Sourdough is alive.

Your starter is full of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria, and temperature determines how active they are.

Think of it like this:

Warm = faster
Cool = slower
Cold = almost paused

That’s the rule.

Once you understand this, sourdough stops feeling random and starts feeling intuitive.

🔥 Warm Temperatures: Faster Fermentation

When your kitchen is warm (think summer days or heated homes), everything speeds up.

You may notice:

Your starter rises faster
Dough ferments more quickly
Bulk fermentation shortens
Over-proofing becomes easier

This is why sourdough often feels “harder” in summer — not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because everything is moving quickly behind the scenes.

Signs Things Are Moving Too Fast

Starter peaks and collapses quickly
Dough feels very airy but weak
Dough spreads instead of holding shape
Bread develops an overly sour flavour

What To Do in Warm Weather

✔ Use slightly cooler water when mixing
✔ Shorten your bulk fermentation
✔ Watch the dough — not the clock
✔ Consider moving to the fridge proof earlier

Remember: control the temperature, and you control the fermentation.

❄️ Cool Temperatures: Slower (But Often Better)

When the weather cools down — during winter, overnight, or in air-conditioned homes — fermentation naturally slows.

You might see:

Starter taking longer to rise
Dough fermenting gradually
Bulk fermentation needing more time
Flavour developing more gently

And here’s something many beginners don’t realise:

👉 Slower isn’t bad.
In fact, slower fermentation often leads to deeper flavour and stronger dough.

Signs Your Dough Is Alive (Just Slower)

Gradual rise
Small bubbles forming
Dough feels elastic and strong

What To Do in Cooler Weather

✔ Be patient
✔ Allow extra bulk fermentation time
✔ Keep your dough in the warmest spot in your home
✔ Avoid rushing the shaping stage

Sourdough rewards patience — always.

🧊 The Fridge Is Your Pause Button

Contrary to popular belief, the fridge doesn’t completely stop fermentation — it simply slows it right down.

This is exactly why cold proofing is such a powerful technique.

Inside the fridge:

Starter activity drops dramatically
Dough rises very little
Flavour continues developing
Structure improves

And the best part?

👉 It helps sourdough fit into real life.

We Use Cold Proofing To:

Control timing
Prevent over-proofing
Improve flavour
Bake on our schedule

Not the dough’s.

🥣 Don’t Forget — Starter Temperature Matters Too

Your starter behaves exactly like your dough.

Warm starter: rises quickly, needs feeding sooner
Cool starter: slower rise, longer peak
Fridge starter: dormant and needs waking before baking

This is why:

👉 Bench starters typically need feeding every 12–24 hours.
👉 Fridge starters are fed after use, then stored sealed.

Neither method is “right” or “wrong.”
They’re simply different tools — and knowing when to use each one is part of becoming a confident sourdough baker.