The Grand Abbot aka Westvleteren... 16!

So I've been trying for a while to trade for a bottle of Three Floyds Alpha Kong, which is their 16% ABV "Belgian Sextuple" and was only brewed a few times, but to no avail. Then I woke up and realized, wait a second I can brew one myself!

Based on how well my Westvleteren 12 traditional recipe came out I've decided to just scale up the relatively simple recipe and put my brewing skills to task making my strongest beer yet.

The Westvleteren 12 "traditional" recipe is quite simple, equal amounts pils & pale, and 15-20% dark candi syrup. Something like this.

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - BeerSmith Brewing Software, Recipes, Blog, Wiki and Discussion Forum
Recipe: The Grand Abbot
Brewer: saq
Asst Brewer:
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.20 gal
Boil Size: 7.82 gal
Estimated OG: 1.144 SG
Estimated Color: 7.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 34.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 120 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
1 Pkgs Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530) Yeast-Ale
1.00 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker [2.80 %] (45 min)Hops 5.7 IBU
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] (120 min) Hops 20.4 IBU
1.00 oz Styrian Goldings [4.10 %] (45 min) Hops 8.3 IBU
4.00 lb Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 16.33 %
10.25 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 41.84 %
10.25 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 41.84 %


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 20.50 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
40 min Mash In Add 27.33 qt of water at 158.4 F 146.0 F
40 min Step Decoct 5.25 qt of mash and boil it 156.0 F
40 min Step Decoct 7.43 qt of mash and boil it 168.0 F

Comments?

no cara-something? Where are the dark fruits going to come from?

It's all from the yeast and the sugar basically. Doing a double docoction will give it some complex malt characters but Westvleteren 12 has TONS of complexity with just pils, pale and dark sugar.
I'm also thinking of throwing some bourbon char in and aging it on a vanilla bean, just because I'm crazy as a fox.

ok then is 530 westvletren's yeast?

Did you read the first link I put at the top of the thread?
Yes, WLP530 is westmalles yeast which is used by westvleteren.
Check this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/westvleteren-12-group-brew-swap-121429/

What I can suggest is to maybe add the syrup at two different times, at boil and then at high krausen, that way it stresses the yeast less, and may let you get to 16%

saq - any updates to this brew?

No, it would be gross and defeat the whole point of a good beer.