Sourdough bulk fermentation calculator
Temperature is the biggest lever on fermentation speed. Warmer dough ferments faster, cooler dough slower. Enter your dough temperature for an estimate of bulk fermentation time. Treat it as a starting point and judge the dough by how it looks and feels.
An estimate, not a timer. Warmer dough ferments faster. Always judge by how the dough looks and feels.
| Dough temperature | Bulk estimate |
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How the estimate works
The estimator uses a Q10 model, the standard chemistry rule that a reaction rate changes by a roughly constant factor for every 10 degrees Celsius. Around a reference of four and a half hours at 25 C, the rate climbs as the dough warms and falls as it cools. It is the same model the Banneton app uses to lay out a bake-day schedule.
Read the dough, not just the clock
Flour, starter strength, and how you handle the dough all move the real number. Look for a dough that has risen by roughly half, feels alive and jiggly, and shows a few bubbles at the edges. That tells you more than any timer.
Related reading
- What is bulk fermentation: how to tell when it is actually done
- Sourdough baking schedule: plan the whole day backward from the bake
- How to fix a dense crumb: the usual cost of cutting bulk short
- Bake schedule planner: every stage laid out for your finish time