How we score

Five criteria, one to ten.

The overall score is the plain average of the five. Tang — how sour the loaf is — sits beside the card on a one-to-five scale. It isn't averaged in, because more sour isn't better, it's just different.

Spring
A 10: Tall and round, the loaf rose up rather than out. No flat, spread edges.
A low score: Squat or pancaked: under-proofed, over-proofed or weak shaping.
Ear
A 10: A sharp ridge peeled back along the score, crisp and lifted.
A low score: The score sealed over or tore open somewhere else.
Crust
A 10: Deep mahogany, blistered, thin, and it crackles as it cools.
A low score: Pale, thick, soft or burnt on the bottom.
Crumb
A 10: Open and even with glossy, custardy cell walls. No dense or gummy streak.
A low score: Tight, gummy, or big tunnels under a dense bottom.
Flavor
A 10: Balanced and layered: wheat, a little sweet, a clean finish.
A low score: Flat, yeasty, bitter, or so sour it hides the grain.

The rules

Same time, every loaf. Scored two hours after it leaves the oven.
Blind to history. Scores go in before looking at earlier bakes.
Photo at scoring. The photos on each page are of the loaf that was judged.
Flops get published. A 6 with a good explanation is worth more than a quiet 9.