Critique this recipe for a Deschutes Abyss clone

I've done a bit of research and have the idea to try and recreate something close to Deschute's seasonal Abyss (I recently had it in January 2011 and it was DELICIOUS). Let me know your thoughts. Note: this is supposed to be an extremely dark, complex, and thick beer.

Batch size: 5 gallon

15 lb 2-row
1 lb black malt
1 lb black barley
.55 lb american caramel 120L
.5 lb caramel malt 60L
2 lb biscuit malt
2 lb wheat malt (1 lb chocolate wheat, 1lb caramel wheat)
1 lb roasted barley

Mash.

boil time 90 mins (I'm thinking I might need some extra sparge water to rinse all those sugars off).
Add full jar of molasses to boil. add some crushed anise to boil.
2 oz millenium 60 min
2 oz chinook 60 min
1 oz chinook 30 min

Yeast: Safbrew S-33 EDME (can tolerate high alcohol conditions, but perhaps not high enough?)

Right before bottling: add whiskey which has had these soaking in it: anise, vanilla beans, oak cubes.

Thanks! Right now the yeast type is my biggest question. And whether I will need to add more yeast at bottling time in order to carbonate this badboy.

It all looks good except for the full jar of molasses. 1/2 a cup of molasses adds a very distinctive flavor to a 5-gallon batch. You might be disappointed.

I used a half jar on my last stout and it was delicious! And I didn't think the molasses was overpowering at all. Maybe because it was competing with a lot of vanilla and whiskey and hop flavor...

Thanks for the feedback though. Perhaps I will not use a full jar.

To each their own. If you like it, do it!

This is the problem with hbt: Many self-appointed experts chime in on what should and shouldn't be done. The whole point of homebrewing is to experiment and make what you like even if it goes against the grain, no pun intended.

I was under the impression that you hadn't used molasses before.

Per their website:

Recipe type: All grain
Batch size: 5 U.S. gallons
Original gravity: 1.100
Final gravity: 1.018
Boil time: 90 minutes
Fermentation temp: 65° F
Yeast type: English Ale

MALT
NW 2-row Pale Malt
Black malt & black barley
C-120 & C-60
Malted Wheat
Roasted Barley
Victory or biscuit malt

HOPS
Millennium
Chinook



Thinking maybe Wyeast London Ale III yeast. Not sure about the anise---maybe I missed that flavor; it's been a while.

I'd use just plain wheat vs the caramel/choc ones and swap the anise for licorice sticks. you may want to cut back on the specialty malts as well, you got a ton in there and will never get that low of an FG with that much.