Sourdough Glossary & Key Terms

This is a list of common sourdough-related terms that can help you through this course and throughout your sourdough journey.

Term	Definition
Active Starter	A bubbly starter that has doubled in size and is ready to bake with.
Autolyse	A rest after mixing flour and water that lets gluten form naturally and improves dough texture.
Banneton	A basket used for proofing that supports dough shape as it rises.
Bench Rest	A short rest between shaping steps, usually 15 to 30 minutes, to relax the dough and help a skin form.
Bulk Fermentation	The first rise after mixing the dough.
Cold Proof	A proof in the refrigerator to slow fermentation and build flavor.
Crumb	The interior texture of bread. Open crumb has large holes and tight crumb has small ones.
Discard	Starter you remove before feeding to keep the ratio healthy.
Dough Hydration	The ratio of water to flour in a recipe.
Feed	Adding flour and water to keep your starter active.
Gluten Development	Building dough strength and elasticity through kneading or stretch and folds.
Inactive Starter	A starter that has not been fed recently and is no longer bubbly or rising.
Overfermented	Dough that has fermented too long. Gluten weakens, dough turns sticky and slack, and flavor can become very sour.
Overproofed	Dough that has risen too long after shaping. It may collapse or bake flat.
Oven Spring	The quick rise in the first minutes of baking as trapped gases expand, giving a taller lighter loaf.
Scoring	Cuts made in dough before baking to guide expansion in the oven.
Starter	A fermented mix of flour and water that grows wild yeast and bacteria to leaven bread.
Stretch and Folds	A gentle method during bulk fermentation that strengthens dough without kneading.
Underfermented	Dough that has not fermented long enough to build strength or flavor. The crumb is dense and shaping can tear.
Underproofed	Dough that has not risen enough after shaping. The bread bakes dense and may burst unevenly.
Windowpane Test	A check for gluten development. Stretch a small piece of dough until thin and see if light passes through without tearing.
Wild Yeast	Naturally present yeast in flour and the environment that raises sourdough without commercial yeast.

Resources

Printable Sourdough Glossary

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Sourdough Glossary

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