Cottage House Saison Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain Cottage House Saison recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 7.1% ABV and 35 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
Cottage House Saison at a glance: 7.1% ABV, 35 IBU, OG 1.062. A bright, dry, peppery saison with orange blossom honey, Sorachi Ace for a lemony edge, earthy Fuggle and a pinch of fresh black pepper.
Recipe credit: Cottage House Saison by azscoob on HomeBrewTalk, #11 on HomeBrewTalk’s all-time Top 100. We’ve put it in our recipe card, scaled to 5 gallons at 72% efficiency, and kept the brewer’s gravity and hop schedule. See the original for the brewer’s own notes and the discussion.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Cottage House Saison
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 8.85 lb (4.01 kg) | Pilsner malt | 78% |
| 1.55 lb (0.7 kg) | White wheat malt | 14% |
| 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | Caramunich | 4% |
| 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | Flaked oats | 4% |
| 1.05 lb (0.48 kg) | Orange blossom honey, last 5 min |
Hops
| 0.5 oz (14 g) | Sorachi Ace · 10.5% AA | First wort |
| 0.5 oz (14 g) | Fuggle · 4.8% AA | First wort |
| 0.5 oz (14 g) | Fuggle · 4.8% AA | 30 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Fuggle · 4.8% AA | 15 min |
Other ingredients
| 1.5 tsp | Black pepper, freshly ground | Last 5 min of the boil |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | French saison yeast (Wyeast 3711) | |
| Water | Soft to balanced water. | |
Process
- Mash: 148°F (64°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: Start around 68°F (20°C) and let it rise into the mid 70s°F
- Condition: Package when stable; ready in 3 to 4 weeks
- Carbonate: 2.8 to 3.0 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
About this recipe
It’s one of the most popular saisons on HomeBrewTalk. The French saison yeast ferments very dry, so the honey adds aroma rather than sweetness. Sorachi Ace brings lemon and dill notes, and the black pepper sharpens the yeast’s natural spice.
How to brew it
- Mash at 148°F (64°C) for 60 minutes. Add the first wort hops to the kettle as you run off.
- Boil 60 minutes with the hops on schedule; add the honey and black pepper for the last 5 minutes.
- Chill to 66°F (19°C) and pitch.
- Let it ferment warm, rising into the mid 70s°F; saison yeast likes the heat.
- Package at 2.8 to 3.0 volumes of CO₂ in bottles or a keg rated for it.
Tips
- Wyeast 3711 ferments very dry; don’t be surprised by a final gravity near 1.004.
- Grind the pepper fresh, just before it goes in.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different saison yeast?
Yes, but 3711 is what gives this recipe its dry, spicy finish.
What does Sorachi Ace taste like?
Lemon, dill and a little coconut. A little goes a long way.