Why did my dough turn liquid after bulk fermentation?
It over-fermented. After a long bulk the bacteria and enzymes break down the gluten and the dough turns soupy. Go by size instead of time and stop at around 50% growth. If it happens again, move it into a properly greased loaf pan, let it proof there for at least 30 minutes, and bake it anyway. You can also use part of the dough as the starter for your next one.
Answered by Hendrik, The Bread Code
From the book
When fermenting your dough for too long, the protease enzyme starts to break down the gluten of your flour. Furthermore, the bacteria consume the gluten in a process called proteolysis. Bakers also refer to this process as gluten rot. The gluten that normally traps the CO₂ created by the fermentation process of your microorganisms can no longer keep the gas inside of the dough. The gas disperses outward resulting in smaller alveoli in your crumb. The bread itself tends to be very flat in the oven. Bakers often refer to this style of bread as a pancake. Your bread will feature a lot of acidity, a really strong distinctive tang. From a taste perspective, it might be a little bit too sour.
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