I am new to your website and there are so many great articles and recipes to read, so yes, please point me in the direction of more fermentation tips. But in general, if I were to follow this recipe and temperatures exactly as written with a short or no cold proof, it should be quite mild? [if I keep my fingers crossed :)] What is considered a short cold proof? Thanks.

A few things help keep this bread mild: using a young and vibrant levain, keeping dough temperatures moderate during bulk fermentation, and having a relatively short proof in the fridge (or no cold proof at all). While whole wheat flour and long cold proofs can increase acidity, they don't have to make bread overly sour – it's all about managing fermentation through time and temperature. Let me know if you need any other fermentation tips!

Amazing, really great to hear that Jason!

If the hydration is too high for your dough it can lead to an overly wet or gummy interior. If the dough feels "soupy" or very "slack" then try pulling back the water percentage by 5% and see if that helps.

Make sure to bake your loaves completely. The interior should register around 204-206°F (95-96°C) or higher.

If your loaf is under proofed then this will typically lead to a gummy or "wet" textured interior. Make sure your starter and levain are very vigorous and strong when you use them. This is very important! From there, make sure to bulk ferment your dough fully (use the images you see in my posts to guide you on what the dough should look/feel like). You want the dough to be alive and aerated before you divide and shape.

From there, a full and complete proof is also very important.

A few ideas there for you, let me know how the next attempt goes!