A warmer kitchen means faster fermentation, while a colder environment slows it down.
The percentage of starter in your recipe directly impacts fermentation speed. A typical recipe uses about 20% starter in relation to the flour.
Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in your dough. High hydration doughs (like artisan sourdough) ferment faster because they’re wetter and more active.
Look for bubbles on the surface and sides of the dough. If you’re using a glass bowl, you’ll also see bubbles forming underneath.
Gently shake the bowl or the dough itself to see if it jiggles. A nicely fermented dough will have a light, puffy jiggle.