The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

+44(0)7813308301
[email protected]
Follow on Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Student Login

Schedule a Call to Learn More

Navigation
  • Home
    • About The Sourdough School
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • Request a Callback
    • Practical Information
    • The Team
    • A Social Enterprise
    • General FAQ’s about The School
    • Contributors & Guest Tutors
    • What Our Students Say
    • Login
  • Courses
    • Priority Access: Join the Waiting List
    • Workshops
    • Bake For Health Retreat
    • Tuscan Retreat
    • Diploma
  • Assessments
    • Bread & Health Assessment
    • Gut Health Assessment
    • Nutrigenomic Assessment
  • Our Approach
    • Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM)
    • 12 Week Student Support Pack
    • Bread as Preventative Health
    • Personalising Bread Using Nutrigenetics
    • Training Bakers & Healthcare Professionals
    • Diversity Bread™
    • Prove it – The Case Studies
    • BALM & Bread in The Blue Zone
    • Proven: Bread Podcast
  • Admissions
    • Request a callback
    • Location, Opening Hours & Course Days & Times
    • Reviews
  • Shop
    • Our Flour and Ingredients
    • Our Books
    • Equipment
    • Flours From Farmers Directory
    • Add Farmer to the Directory

Water – essential information

Learning Objective

In this lesson, you will discover some key information about using water in your sourdough baking and how certain variables can affect the outcome of your bread.

Learning Outcome

You will be able to fully consider the ways in which you incorporate water into your dough and understand water types and temperatures in relation to your sourdough baking.

Often, water is overlooked. As your bread only has three ingredients, it is essential to understand your water and the importance of temperature, how to add it, when to add it and how hard or soft water affects your dough. In this video, Vanessa explains the essentials for using water in your sourdough baking. To access the most comprehensive online sourdough course and our library of video tutorials, sourdough recipes, expert interviews and tips, subscribe now  and join the Club.  

Learn to make Sourdough – we can even send you a starter to get you going.  Start your journey today and find out more about how sourdough is the healthiest bread, and how apply our 7 core principles to your baking to help your digestion and benefit your overall health and wellbeing. 

There is a world of information and core knowledge inside the club, and you will be supported by a whole community of bakers as you learn.

The club is alive with baking and conversations: discover the latest research, tips, enjoy regular inspiring recipes and brilliant webinars, explore our interactive forum, join our new book club, and get access to member discounts.  You will also get updates with news to be in the know before anyone else about the latest books by Vanessa Kimbell and the courses on offer at the Sourdough School.

To join the Sourdough Club, click here.

If you are not able to join at the moment, then please subscribe to our Sourdough Club magazine and keep up to date.

In the meantime, please do follow us on Instagram & Facebook.

LOVE BAKE NOURISH

Existing Member Login

All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Email Sign Up

BANT Member
Lifecode GX

Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 Vanessa Kimbell
Call +44 (0)7813308301 | Email [email protected]
Registered in England & Wales: 08412236
Website by Callia Web