About the Baker — The Rye Lab
The Rye Lab is where sourdough meets a little science: hydration, temperature and fermentation timing for a reliable, open crumb. I share high-hydration bread recipes, starter care tips and troubleshooting. Track your feedings, rise and bake times in the Rise and Feed app.
High-hydration sourdough boule (78%)
An open-crumb sourdough boule at 78% hydration with a crackling crust. A dependable recipe for artisan sourdough bread at home. Keywords: sourdough bread, high hydration, open crumb, artisan boule.
24 h (with proof)
- 450 g bread flour
- 50 g whole wheat flour
- 390 g water (78% hydration)
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g salt
Instructions
- Mix flours and water, rest 45 minutes (autolyse).
- Add starter and salt, then strengthen with stretch-and-folds.
- Do 4 sets of stretch-and-folds over 2 hours, 30 minutes apart.
- Bulk ferment until ~50% risen and airy, about 4–6 hours at 22 °C.
- Shape into a tight boule and proof in a banneton.
- Cold-proof in the fridge overnight for flavour and easier scoring.
- Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 250 °C, 20 min lid on, 20–25 min lid off.
What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is one of the oldest forms of bread leavening, with roots stretching back to ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago. Unlike commercial yeast, which is a single, isolated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sourdough is a living ecosystem of wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria existing in symbiosis.
What makes sourdough special is its complexity. Every sourdough starter is unique – it carries microorganisms from the flour, water, air, and the baker's own hands.
The Science
Sourdough is essentially a miniature ecosystem. The lactic acid bacteria produce acids – primarily lactic acid and acetic acid – that lower the dough's pH. The yeast is responsible for leavening the dough by producing carbon dioxide. The ratio of yeast to bacteria is typically around 1:100.
Creating a Starter
Creating a sourdough starter from scratch is a simple but patience-requiring process. All you need is flour and water.
Day 1
Mix 50g whole wheat flour with 50g lukewarm water in a clean glass jar. Cover with a towel and leave at room temperature.
Day 2-3
Discard half the starter and feed with 50g flour and 50g water.
Day 4-5
Activity may have slowed down – this is normal! Continue feeding daily.
Day 6-7
You should now see consistent bubbling. When it doubles within 4-8 hours two days in a row, it's ready!
Maintaining
Feeding Ratios
- 1:1:1 – Standard maintenance (4-6 hours peak)
- 1:2:2 – Slower fermentation, ideal for every other day
- 1:5:5 – Overnight recipes (8-12 hours peak)
Storage
Bake daily? Keep on counter. Bake weekly? Fridge is your friend – feed once a week.
Flour Types
White Wheat
Good gluten · Mild flavor
Whole Wheat
Nutritious · Fast fermentation
Rye
Active fermentation · Moist crumb
Spelt
Nutty flavor · Delicate crumb
Einkorn
Ancient grain · Rich flavor
Hydration
Hydration is the ratio of water to flour in your dough, expressed as a percentage.
- Low (50-65%) – Stiff dough, tight crumb (bagels, traditional breads)
- Medium (65-75%) – Sweet spot for most sourdough breads
- High (75-90%) – Ciabatta, focaccia – large air pockets, crispy crust
Baking Process
Autolyse
Mix flour and water, rest 30-60 min.
Bulk Fermentation
4-6 hours at room temperature. Look for 50-75% volume increase.
Stretch and Fold
4 times at 30-45 min intervals during the first 2 hours.
Baking
250°C/480°F in Dutch oven with lid 20 min, without lid 20-25 min.
Troubleshooting
Bread is dense and heavy
Often under-fermented. Make sure starter is active and let bulk fermentation go longer.
Bread doesn't rise
Starter isn't active enough. It should double within 4-8 hours before use.
Bread is too sour
Use warmer dough temperature, shorter fermentation, or more starter.
Bread is gummy inside
Wait until the bread is fully cooled (1-2 hours) before slicing.
Bread flattens in oven
Lacks gluten strength or is over-proofed. Do stretch and folds and shape tightly.
Glossary
- Autolyse
- Rest period after mixing flour and water, before adding starter and salt.
- Banneton
- Proofing basket that creates the characteristic ring pattern.
- Bulk fermentation
- The first long rise after mixing all ingredients.
- Dutch oven
- Cast iron pot with lid used for baking sourdough.
- Hooch
- Dark liquid on top of a hungry starter.
- Hydration
- Ratio of water to flour expressed as a percentage.
- Levain
- A portion of starter built up specifically for a bake.
- Oven spring
- Rapid rise in the first 10-15 minutes of baking.
- Scoring
- Cutting slashes in dough before baking for controlled expansion.
