Hello, I’m new to the forum but not to brewing.
I’ve recently become particularly interested in sour ales, and particularly Oud Bruin. I live in Manhattan, which limits my brewing potential (small stove, small apartment, no ability to brew lagers). I currently only have a glass carboy and plastic bottling container. However, I can transfer back and forth while brewing, clean out the glass carboy, and put the brew back in for secondary fermentation if needed. Going to have a six month period where I can’t brew much (tax accountant), so I figured this would be a great time to start a beer that I can let sit and ferment.
I just ordered the Oud Bruin kit from NB (delivered today) and had a few questions before I begin the brew process. I’ve been reading and researching, but haven’t seen much of a resolution to these questions.
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Can I use my glass carboy for primary fermentation or is better to use a plastic fermenter as more air will be accessible?
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After what length of time should I convert from primary to secondary fermentation?
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Is it recommended to add fruit compote (will research type more as the time approaches) at the start of secondary, at the end, or not at all?
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Is it recommended to blend with another beer as I get close to bottling? I’ve never blended before and would imagine this would just require brewing a second beer (some sort of brown ale I’ve heard recommended) and mixing togther. I love sour beers (Rodenbach might just be my favorite), so I don’t want to dillute the sourness fully, but do want a drinkable and enjoyable beer (so my girlfriend doesn’t give me that dirty look like I’ve just wasted my money when she samples).
Thanks for any assistance and would love to hear about other experiences with Oud Bruin.
