Glacier Brewhouse: Imperial Blonde Ale clone

Glacier Brewhouse: Imperial Blonde Ale clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.081 FG = 1.010 IBU = 25   SRM = 6 ABV = 9%

This light-colored American strong ale from Anchorage, Alaska is malty, creamy and smooth. Also known as Ice Axe Ale.

Ingredients
3 lbs. 14 oz. (1.8 kg) 2-row pale malt
8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg) Maris Otter pale malt
14 oz. (0.39 kg) Pilsner malt
10 oz. (0.28 kg) flaked barley
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Carapils® dextrin malt
2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) clover honey (5 min.)
5.25 AAU Centennial hop pellets (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 10.5 % alpha acids)
2.6 AAU Centennial hop pellets (30 min.) (0.25 oz./7 g at 10.5% alpha acids)
5.25 AAU Centennial hop pellets (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14.2 g at 10.5% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP 001 (American Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast
3/4 cup (150 g) dextrose (if bottling)

Step by Step
Mix the crushed grains with 4.5 gallons (17 L) of 175 °F (79 °C) water to stabilize at 155 °F (68 °C) for 60 minutes. Sparge slowly with 175 °F (79 °C) water. Collect approximately 6 gallons (23 L) of wort runoff to boil for 60 minutes. Add the hops, honey, Irish moss, and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. Cool the wort to 75 °F (24 °C). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Allow the beer to cool to 68 °F (20 °C). Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer. Allow the beer to condition for 1 week and then bottle or keg.

Extract with grains option:
Reduce the 2-row pale malt in the all-grain recipe to 14 oz. (0.39 kg) and replace the Maris Otter pale malt with 6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Muntons light, unhopped, malt extract and 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg) dried malt extract. Steep the crushed grains in 5.5 gallons (21 L) of water for 30 minutes. Remove grains from the wort and rinse with 2 quarts (1.8 L) of hot water. Add the liquid and dried malt extracts and boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.