Slight change to stour extract kit, advice needed

I bought the Wil Wheaton Woot stout extract kit. It calls for over 13 lbs of malt and then another pound of extract malt, in addition to a lb of beet sugar syrup . States 13% when all finished.

If I want to bring down the ABV a bit to maybe 10%, how much less malt do you think I should boil?

Also, the 3 oz oak says to soak in 6 oz bourbon and then place in carboy…should i add the bourbon with the oak?

If you think I should just suck it up and brew with what it says on the recipe, feel free to recommend that too…

Personally, I’m not seeing the value in getting it down to 10% that’s still a pretty dang big beer. A “one and done” as my wife says, either way.

If I absolutely had to drop the ABV, what I’d do here is follow the kit to the letter, then deliberately over top-off to about 6-gallons, and (this is critical) split the batch into 2 buckets/carboys. Reduced ABV, almost no chance of blow-off, no wasted fermentables, and extra bottles of beer.

For the oak chips, i would put them in a shallow plastic container with the bourbon 6oz is plenty, but make sure to use enough booze to cover the chips. When the time comes, dump the container booze and all.

ok sounds good. I am going for the full 13 and hoping for the best…