Reply #2: Question when you activated your starter, did it double in volume?

[housewolf]

You're working with a sourdough starter, is that correct?

By "activate", I mean when you fed it and allowed it to double (at which point it's "fully activated") prior to mixing it into your bread dough?

The reason it's important to activate a starter until double in volume before mixing it into your dough is that a starter can't rise a loaf of bread dough any more than it can rise itself.

Forgive me if I'm making an incorrect assumption here, it's certainly possible that some other factors are at fault. How familiar are you with sourdough and with breadmaking in general? Can you give me a little information about what your recipe and process were in making the bread?