First proper double batch on the BrewZilla 65L Gen 4.1 — 44 L into the All Rounder fermenter. Traditional Belgian Dubbel built around a complex specialty bill plus D240 dark candi for depth.
Process notes
Yeast strategy: Abbaye repitched from the 2026-02-19 Belgian Blonde batch. Washed, stored cold ~6 weeks, pitched healthy. No starter needed at this OG with that pitch size.
Mash: 60 min at 65 °C then short mash-out to 76 °C. Sticking to a single sacc rest on a double-batch grain bed for time.
Boil: 75 min. Pacific Jade for clean bittering, two Czech Saaz additions for noble character (60 and 10).
Candi sugar: 2 × 454 g D240 X-Dark added at the 10-min mark — colour and the dried-fruit / raisin character that defines the style.
Fermentation: Abbaye free-rise 22–25 °C, then ramp ~1 °C/day toward packaging. Pressure ferment on the spunding valve.
Result
Entered as Dubbel de la Vallée in the 2026 Euroclash (16 May).
Notes for next time
44 L into the 60 L All Rounder gave good headspace for the vigorous Abbaye start — no blowoff issues. Worth tracking final attenuation against the 2026-02-19 Blonde since it’s the same yeast generation; expect the D240 to leave slightly more residual sweetness than the Blonde despite the dextrose-free recipe.
