SFBI hosts intensive two-day sourdough workshop for home bakers

San Francisco Baking Institute is running a two-day, in-person workshop called Sourdough at Home on Jan 15–16 that puts practical sourdough technique front and center for domestic bakers. The course is built for a wide range of home bakers — from those just starting a starter to seasoned hobbyists looking to refine specific skills — and emphasizes hands-on time and take-home materials to keep the learning working in a small kitchen.

The curriculum balances the basics and the toolbox: participants work with hand mixing and machine mixing, practice handling inclusions, compare flours from different millers, and review starter care and maintenance. Sessions are oriented to the constraints and opportunities of a domestic kitchen, with strategies for hydration control, autolyse and bulk fermentation timing, shaping for consistent crumb structure, and scoring for predictable oven spring.

What attendees receive is intended to extend learning beyond the classroom. The workshop includes breakfast pastry and coffee or tea, a printed binder of recipes and lecture notes, and a selection of breads and pastries to take home. Practical check-in and attire details are provided to participants to keep the day efficient and safe; the program stresses kitchen-ready procedures so bakers can replicate results at home.

The hands-on format gives bakers time at the workbench rather than watching demonstrations alone. Mixing by hand versus using a stand mixer is covered in parallel so participants can choose techniques that match their equipment and desired crumb and crust. Comparing flours from different millers lets students see how protein content and extraction affect dough behavior, while inclusion work addresses distribution, hydration adjustments, and bake timing for things like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

For home bakers who want a concentrated, professional-level short course, this workshop doubles as a troubleshooting clinic and a practical lab. The binder of recipes and notes is designed to be a reference for repeat practice, and the take-home loaves provide a benchmark for evaluating oven and fermentation variables in the home environment.

If you want more detail or future sessions, visit the San Francisco Baking Institute event page at sfbi.com/event/sourdough-at-home-3/ for schedules, registration, and the workshop's pre-class instructions. For readers looking to improve consistency, oven spring, and starter management, this course offers actionable technique and immediate practice you can apply to your next bake.