Some things that could affect rise…
- Old or improperly stored yeast: This would be the very first thing to check! King Arthur has a guide with pictures. Or, try asking a fellow baker for some that is working for them or purchase some fresh packets from the store
- Forgetting to add yeast (seems obvious but I’ve done this a couple times in the past, LOL)
- Not enough yeast – double check recipe and measurements
- Hot water (water temps over about 115-120 degrees can kill yeast)
- Cold proofing temps can significantly slow rise(s)
- Have you recently substituted a different flour, yeast, or other component from one(s) you’ve used previously?
- Highly chlorinated municipal tap water or contaminated well water (rare) – try bottled or filtered
- Dried surface (rare) – if the dough is left uncovered during the various rise stages, the surface can dry out causing a crust to develop and inhibit rising
- Too much flour which can reduce the water content of the dough, inhibiting yeast hydration and growth. I don’t expect this is your issue, but some things to ask yourself: are my measurements off? Is my scale working properly? Am I using volume measurements instead of measuring by weight? Is my scale set to the correct measurement unit?
