Kitchen Temperature and Fermentation: What You Need to Know

The Number That Changes Everything

Every 10 degrees Fahrenheit changes your fermentation time by roughly 30-40%.

Warmer = faster. Colder = slower.

This is why your bread turned out differently in July than it did in January, even though you followed the same recipe. The recipe said "bulk ferment for 4 hours" but your winter kitchen at 65F needs 6 hours while your summer kitchen at 80F needs only 3.

Optimal Temperature Ranges

Different phases benefit from different temperatures:

Below 50F, yeast activity slows to a crawl. Above 90F, you risk killing the yeast and encouraging unwanted bacterial growth that creates off flavors.

Reading Your Kitchen

Your kitchen is not one temperature. It is a bunch of microclimates with hot spots and cold zones.

Where to measure:

• At counter height, where your dough sits
• Away from windows (cold in winter, hot in summer)
• Away from appliances (ovens, refrigerators radiate heat)

Seasonal variation:

• Summer kitchens often run 75-82F
• Winter kitchens can drop to 62-68F
• Air conditioning creates artificial "winter" conditions

Putting dough near a radiator or heating vent seems smart in winter, but creates unpredictable hot spots that over-ferment parts of your dough while others lag behind.

Practical Adjustments

Once you know your kitchen temperature, you can adjust timing:

At 68F (cool winter kitchen):

• Bulk fermentation: 6-8 hours
• Final proof at room temp: 3-4 hours

At 78F (warm summer kitchen):

• Bulk fermentation: 3-5 hours
• Final proof at room temp: 1.5-2.5 hours

The formula (approximate):

• Base timing at 75F
• Add 30-40% for every 10F cooler
• Subtract 30-40% for every 10F warmer

When Cold is Your Friend

Strategic use of the refrigerator gives you control that room temperature never can:

1. Predictability: 38F is 38F all year round
2. Schedule flexibility: Extend timelines to fit your life
3. Flavor development: Slow fermentation = more complex taste
4. Easier handling: Cold dough holds its shape better

Cold retard is not just convenient. It makes better bread.

Using This Knowledge

Understanding temperature helps you:

• Diagnose why a recipe did not work for you
• Adapt recipes from other climates to your kitchen
• Choose the right fermentation strategy for your schedule

Doughflow uses your actual kitchen temperature, not some hypothetical 75F test kitchen.

Try temperature-aware scheduling - tell us your kitchen temp and target time.