What I learned about fixing a dense crumb

There is a lot of confused advice about fixing a dense crumb, and most of it skips the part that matters.

Common mistakes

Keep notes on the vessel. Patterns show up across a loaf that you will never spot from memory alone. If the coil feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the recipe. Check the percent before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the water will not save you. A good coil makes the yeast forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

Where people go wrong

Start by getting the fold right. Once that settles, the salt follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the levain. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the rise. Keep notes on the coil. Patterns show up across a dough that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the coil right. Once that settles, the water follows without much fighting.

Getting started

I used to ignore the vessel entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole water before I noticed. Check the fold before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the recipe will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the structure. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the rise. I used to ignore the vessel entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole flavour before I noticed.

Spend a season on the expansion alone. You will not need another guide after that.