2026-Q3 review · Level P5 · Active
Sourdough Discard Stack
Review
Strong quarter, consistent with the strong quarter before it. The stack scores at or above 3.8 on every dimension, which no other stack in the cohort currently does, and it does so without a visible weakness to work on.
The concrete detail: the acidity carries through the crumb rather than sitting on the surface, which is why it holds against salted butter without needing syrup to justify itself. Reviewers reached for less syrup and did not appear to notice they had.
Growth area is narrower than usual and is about register rather than capability. The stack is aware of its own quality, and the presentation reflects that. Notes from two separate sittings describe it as arriving with a position already taken. At P5 that is tolerated. At P6 it becomes a blocker, because P6 requires other stacks to be better for having been on the plate, and this one currently makes them look underprepared.
Forward expectation for 2026-Q4 is unchanged output with evidence of the stack raising the bar around it. The specific artifact we would want to see is a plate the stack did not anchor. It has not yet been observed in a supporting role.
Cross functional pairing at 4.4 is genuine and was scored before the weight on that dimension increased. The stack did not adapt to the rubric. The rubric moved toward it.
Calibration note. Held in the second bucket for a second quarter. The top bucket was not allocated in 2026-Q3.
Dimension breakdown, 2026-Q3
Each dimension is scored from 1.0 to 5.0 and multiplied by the weight in force for 2026-Q3. The weighted column sums to the composite.
| Dimension | Score | Weight | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural Integrity | 4.2 | 0.15 | 0.630 |
| Absorbency | 4.4 | 0.15 | 0.660 |
| Syrup Retention | 4.1 | 0.25 | 1.025 |
| Rise | 3.8 | 0.10 | 0.380 |
| Cross Functional Pairing | 4.4 | 0.35 | 1.540 |
| Composite | 1.00 | 4.2 |
Trajectory
Composite, rank and rating for every quarter this stack has been calibrated in.