Big Sky Brewing Company: Moose Drool clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain) OG = 1.052 FG = 1.012 IBU = 26   SRM = 22 ABV = 5.3% This is the beer that put Montana craft beer on the map shortly after Big Sky opened in 1995. Moose Drool has taken home many medals for its drinkability, with subtle coffee and cocoa notes balanced with a pleasant bitterness.

Ingredients

9.75 lb. (4.4 kg) 2-row pale malt
18 oz. (0.5 kg) crystal malt (75 °L)
6 oz. (0.17 kg) chocolate malt (350 °L)
0.5 oz. (14 g) black barley (450 °L)
4.3 AAU east Kent golding hop pellets (60 min.) (0.9 oz./26 g of 4.75% alpha acid)
2 AAU liberty hop pellets (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
2.5 AAU Willamette hop pellets (0 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 5% alpha acids)
1⁄2 tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1⁄2 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
White Labs WLP 013 (London Ale) or Wyeast 1028 (London Ale) yeast
3/4 cup (150 g) dextrose (if priming)

Step by Step

Mash the crushed grains with 3.75 gallons (14 L) of 172 °F (78 °C) water to stabilize at 154 °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, Irish moss, and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. Cool the wort to 75 °F (24 °C), aerate, and pitch your yeast. Allow the beer to cool to 68 °F (20 °C) and hold there until fermentation is complete. Allow the beer to condition for one week and then bottle or keg.

Extract with grains option: Reduce the 2-row pale malt in the all-grain recipe to 1 lb. (0.45 kg) and add 3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Muntons light, unhopped, malt extract and 2 lbs. (0.9 kg) light dried malt extract. Steep the crushed grains in 6 gallons (23 L) of water at 154 °F (68 °C) for 30 minutes. Remove grains and drain. Add the liquid malt extract and boil for 60 minutes. Follow the remaining portion of the all-grain recipe.