X2!
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For sourdough:
Visit Sourdoughhome.com, and learn some fun tips. I've been working with starter for the past nine years and learned stuff from that guy!
For conventional yeat breads:
Gene's hit the nail on the head! Water temp is always the first killer of breads in the making. The second is time. If the yeast is old, they won't rise, if your slurry's too young, you'll have a difficult time getting the rise needed, and if the slurry or sponge has been around for too long, then you have geriatric yeast.
Ambient temps are key too, hot weather will encourage a quick initial rise, but the yeast will eat themselves out of house and home before you develop enough flavor and gluten, colder days will require more rise-time.
How much yeast is being used, and what kind of yeast? Baker's yeast is a live culture, and has the shortest lifespan, active-dry takes the longest to revive from "cryo-sleep"; instant is the best place to start, because they will revive in minutes. For beginners, the best yeast says "for bread-machines" on the label, because they're instant yeast cultures in smaller pellets, which means they rise the fastest.
How much salt are you using? Too much salk will kill off major populations of your yeast, too little, and they will grow exponentially, uncontrolled until the dough takes over your kitchen, and they devour themselves out of a food supply.
Are you adding sugar to the warm water? Always add a bit of sugar to your yeast, and a bit of flour, they need something to eat when they revive: breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Finally, make sure you get at least three proofs:
1. the yeast stirred into the warm water/sugar/flour slurry.
2. the first proof after mixing
3. bench proofing after kneading and before baking.
I usually get about 6 proofs out of a batch of dough, but three is the minumum to a solid texture.
Another neat trick is that I mix about 1 teaspoon of yeast per batch of dough into the flour, that way you get a second culture acting as reinforcements, it works especially well if you're in a hurry, or, if you're like me, and ferment the sponge overnight in the fridge.
Good Luck, and "Never give up, never surrender!"
Hey Josh,
Slow down and take a deep breath..., now tell us what recipe you are using, what kind of bread are you trying to make?
What temperature is the water you are adding to the yeast, too cold and it won't grow, too hot and you will kill it, I use my
Thermapen to determine water temperature and I use water at 115° for bread making.
We need more info, I'm just a novice, but there are some very good bread makers here that can help you.
Gene
