Stop Guessing When Bulk Fermentation is Done

No more flat loaves. No more second-guessing.

Learn to judge bulk fermentation with precision,
and get consistent, predictable results every time.

It's getting late.
Once again, you’re standing there, staring down at your dough.

Is it ready?

It’s risen. But is it enough? Do you wait another thirty minutes? An hour?

You poke it. But what are you even feeling for?
You shape it anyway and hope for the best.

The next morning, you open the oven to a flat, lifeless loaf. Again.

You’re Not Alone

I asked over twenty-five thousand home bakers about their biggest struggles.

Ninety-two per cent came down to one thing: fermentation.

Not recipes. Not hydration.
Knowing when bulk fermentation is actually complete.

“I never know when to stop.”
“I under-ferment because I’m afraid of going too far.”
“My loaves don’t spring. I think I’m over-fermenting, but I don’t know how to tell.”

Sound familiar? This is the real problem with bulk fermentation. You’re guessing.

And guessing leads to under-fermented dough, over-fermented dough, and results that work one week and fall apart the next.

Your starter might be strong. Your shaping might be good.
But if you stop bulk fermentation at the wrong time, none of that matters.

The Solution: Remove Guesswork for Good

The problem isn't your skill.

The problem is that you're judging fermentation without objective data.

Professional kitchens taught me something simple: you can't improve what you can't measure.

That's why I built Sourdough Unchained, organised around The Fermentation Chain, a precision method that turns sourdough into a measurable, repeatable process.

No more guessing. No more “does this look right?” Just measurable results you can trust.

What I Saw Teaching Sourdough at Scale

I'm Phil. After years working as a chef in London restaurants, and later as a private chef and baker around the world, I began teaching sourdough to home bakers through my YouTube channel, website, and email community. Today, that audience includes hundreds of thousands of bakers.

As I listened to the questions, one pattern became impossible to ignore. Most people weren't struggling with recipes or hydration. They were struggling with fermentation, especially knowing when bulk fermentation is actually complete.

Professional kitchens taught me something simple and reliable: consistency comes from measurement, not mysticism.

That insight led me to build Sourdough Unchained, organised around what I call the Fermentation Chain: treating starter fermentation, bulk fermentation, proofing, and cold retard as connected stages that can be judged by volume instead of guesswork.

Over the past four years, this system has been refined through real member bakes, feedback, and iteration. Today, hundreds of home bakers have used it to move from guesswork to confident fermentation.

That's what members use Sourdough Unchained for: understanding what they're seeing as they bake, making confident decisions in real time, and getting consistent results without relying on guesswork.

I Used to Guess When Bulk Fermentation Was Done

"Before joining, I was constantly guessing when bulk fermentation was done. Sourdough Unchained taught me how to recognise the end of bulk fermentation with confidence, through guidance and repetition.

Learning to track fermentation through each stage, the levain, bulk, and proofing, gave me a systematic way to judge what was actually happening in my dough.

The real breakthrough came when I learned to size my dough properly for my banneton. Now, bulk fermentation doesn't have to be perfect, just close. Small shortcomings can be balanced out during final proof.

I no longer feel like I'm guessing. I actually know when my dough is ready."

— Kyle M., Texas

You don’t have to keep guessing.

What Happens When You Join

Once you join, you follow a clear, step-by-step system designed to remove guesswork and build reliable results.

Step 1: The Sourdough Starter System
Rehab or stabilise your starter so fermentation is powered correctly from the start.

Step 2: Dough-to-Basket Calibration
Size your dough properly so final proofing becomes measurable, not a guess.

Step 3: Fermentation Chain Fundamentals
Learn to track each stage of fermentation by volume to remove guesswork completely.

Step 4: The Reboot Process
Run controlled bakes that remove variables and lock in consistency.

Step 5: The Sourdough Clinic
Submit real bakes for analysis and learn how to diagnose and fix issues going forward.

How this works as a membership

You use the five steps to build a solid foundation, then continue refining your baking through intentional recipe design, shaping flavour, texture, nutrition, and appearance with each bake.

Progress happens bake by bake, at a pace that fits your life. There’s no fixed schedule and no concept of falling behind.

The membership gives you continued access to the full system and ongoing support as you apply it in your own baking, including Sourdough Lab livestreams where real bakes are analysed and decisions are explored in practice.

The Sourdough Unchained System gives you the framework. The membership is where you apply it, refine it, and build judgment over time.

Want to see exactly what’s included?
You can explore the full curriculum and lesson breakdown below.

From Flat Loaves to 50-Loaf Batches in 4 Months

When Rachael joined Sourdough Unchained in March 2025, her loaves had massive irregular holes from incorrect fermentation (picture on the left). She'd been struggling for months, never knowing if her timing was right.

The problem wasn't just bulk fermentation. It was the entire fermentation chain.

She started by rehabbing her starter so it could properly power the fermentation. Then she learned to judge bulk fermentation using volume increase instead of guessing. Finally, by matching her dough weight to her basket size, she dialled in the final proofing stage.

Each step built on the last. Once the complete fermentation chain was working, her results transformed.

By early July 2025, just four months later, Rachael was confidently baking fifty-loaf batches for her local community. Each one perfectly executed, with beautiful oven spring and the iconic ear.

What changed everything?

Rachael stopped trying to fix the bulk fermentation in isolation. Once she mastered the complete fermentation chain, rehabbing her starter, judging bulk with volume tracking, and calibrating final proofing, everything clicked.

Choose the plan that fits you. Learn to track the fermentation chain by volume and bake with confidence, not guesswork.

Sourdough Unchained Annual Membership

$147/y

Sourdough Unchained Six Month Membership

$99/6m

$16.50 p/m (billed for 6 months)
The 5-Step Sourdough System
for mastering fermentation
Personalised feedback on your bake
Magnus 5 professional recipe calculator
Monthly live workshops and Q&As
Sourdough Lounge (members’ HQ)
7-day money-back guarantee

Start Your Membership

This isn’t about baking more often. It’s about knowing what you’re seeing when you do bake.

The Complete Sourdough Unchained System – Lesson Breakdown

You came here to solve bulk fermentation timing. That’s Step Three: Fermentation Chain Fundamentals. But consistent sourdough comes from the full system, from starter strength to troubleshooting. Here’s the path you’ll follow, in order.

Step 1: The Sourdough Starter System

Step 2: Dough-to-Basket Calibration

Step 3: The Fermentation Chain Fundamentals

Step 4: The Reboot Process

Step 5: The Sourdough Clinic

Applying the System

Developing Judgment: Expert Conversations

Supporting Tools & Resources

7-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Not satisfied? Get a full refund within 7 days. No questions asked.

You'll get immediate access to everything — The Fermentation Chain, all systems, personalised feedback, and the entire member library.

Try it risk-free. If it's not right for you, we'll refund every penny.

The only risk is continuing to guess when your dough is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I've never baked sourdough before?

How much time do I need each week?

Do I need special equipment?

How does the personalized feedback work?

What if I’ve tried other courses and I’m still struggling?

Is this worth the investment?

Is VAT included in the price?

Can I cancel anytime?

Is this just videos, or is there interaction?

Stop Guessing. Start Baking With Confidence.

You've spent too long poking the dough and hoping. Too many flat loaves. Too many wasted weekends. Too much frustration.

The Fermentation Chain gives you the system to judge fermentation with precision, so you finally know when your dough is ready.

No more guessing. No more inconsistent results. Just confident baking, every single time.