My Starter Doubles. It Even Floats.

So Why Don’t My Loaves Spring?

Why weak or inconsistent starters can double and float but can't power fermentation,

and how starter rehab restores real strength.

Your starter looks perfect. So why won’t your loaves spring?

I know the feeling. I’ve been there.

You feed your starter.
It doubles.
It passes the float test.
Everything says it’s ready.

But when you open the oven…
another flat loaf.

You start second-guessing everything.
Is it the starter?
Your timing?
Your flour?

There’s no clear answer.

Here’s what most bakers don’t realise:

A starter can look active and still not be strong enough to carry fermentation all the way through bulk and proofing.

The usual checks — doubling, bubbles, even the float test — only show that gas is being produced.

They don’t tell you whether the yeast and acidity are actually in balance.

When that balance is off, fermentation starts well… then fades.

That’s why loaves can fail to spring, even when the starter looks good.

I built the Starter Rehab Program to fix this.

It’s a structured seven-to-fourteen-day process that restores yeast–acid balance using volume tracking, not guesswork.

But here’s the important part:

Fixing the starter is only the first step.

Once the starter is balanced, you need a way to track bulk fermentation and proofing, so the strength you’ve built in the starter carries through every part of the fermentation chain.

That’s why Starter Rehab is Step One of the Sourdough Unchained system, not a standalone solution.

Full access costs €147 per year, around €12 per month.

Here are Glenda's results.

Real Results: When Starter Rehab Works More Than Once

Glenda followed the Starter Rehab process after struggling with a starter that behaved unpredictably.

After seven days, her starter showed clear, observable changes:

• Restored balance between yeast activity and acidity
• Significant increase in strength and total volume
• Slower, more stable peak timing
• Primed to power the fermentation chain from start to finish

Left: Starter at peak on day 1
Centre: Starter at peak on day 7
Right: Sourdough Lounge post

If you keep baking with an unbalanced starter, nothing downstream becomes clearer.
Bulk fermentation stays unpredictable. Proofing stays uncertain.
And each bake gives you another result you can’t fully trust or diagnose.

Starter Rehab is how you stop repeating the same guesswork and start building fermentation you can actually read and rely on.

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

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.

Want to see exactly what’s included?

You can explore the full curriculum and lesson breakdown below.

Mavi was the first baker I ever helped with this process.

She reached out in early 2022 after struggling for over a year with a starter that looked active but produced unpredictable results.

We didn’t change her technique.
We didn’t change her process.

We fixed the starter.

Once it was balanced and strong, everything downstream became reliable: bulk fermentation, proofing, and oven spring.

It wasn’t a skill issue.
It was a starter fermentation problem.

That same pattern kept repeating with other bakers. Over time, the process was refined into the Starter Rehab Program, now Step One of the Sourdough Unchained system.

Pictures:
Left, Mavi's crumb before rehab. Centre, Mavi's crumb after rehab. Right, Mavi's loaf after rehab

You Won't Be Figuring This Out Alone

Sourdough Unchained isn't a course where you watch videos and hope for the best.

It's a coaching community where I show up daily to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and help you get results.

Here's what that actually means:

The Sourdough Lounge:  Post your bakes, share your problems, get real answers. I'm in there every day responding to members, diagnosing issues, and helping you understand what went wrong (and how to fix it next time).

You'll also learn from other members who are ahead of you on the journey. Someone's already figured out the exact problem you're facing. They'll share what worked.

Monthly Live Q&As (The Sourdough Lab):  Every month, we jump on Zoom and work through real baking problems together. Bring your questions, submit your bakes for analysis, watch me diagnose other members' issues and learn from the patterns.

Can't make it live? Every session is recorded. Submit your question beforehand and I'll answer it on the stream.

Personalised Feedback on Your Bakes:  Submit your loaf with photos and your process notes. I'll walk through exactly what happened—what worked, what didn't, and what to change for your next bake.

You're not guessing what went wrong. I'm showing you.

Magnus 5 Recipe Calculator : Professional recipe calculator that removes the guesswork from formula design. Adjust hydration, flour ratios, and fermentation timing, all calculated automatically. Pre-configured with the Reboot System formula so you can start immediately.

This isn't "buy a course and figure it out yourself."
This is "join a community and get daily support until it works."

Mavi joined in January 2021 after struggling for over a year. Within a week, she was back on track. Not because she watched more videos—because we worked through her specific problems together.

That's what members get access to. Not just information. Support.

The Complete Sourdough Unchained System – Lesson Breakdown

If you can’t trust your starter, you’ll never trust your bulk fermentation or your proofing. That’s why the system begins with the starter, building a solid foundation before you move on.

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 Trusting Your Starter.

You’ve spent too long tinkering with your starter and hoping it’s ready. Too many loaves that didn’t spring. Too many bakes where everything looked right but failed anyway.

Starter Rehab gives you a foundation you can finally trust, a starter that isn’t just active, but balanced and strong enough to do its job.

Once the starter is reliable, bulk fermentation and proofing stop feeling like guesswork.

No more guessing. No more false signals. Just a starter you trust, and the confidence to move forward.