Virgin cherry lambic to be popped soon

Hey everyone, I'm reading up with the book Wild Brews and have researched a bit through other sources before attempting my first sour beers. I want to make a Flander's Red first and then follow it with a Lambic kriek with Surinam cherries. I just have a few questions about the whole process from those who've gone through it already though.

1) I want to add oak chips to the Flander's Red, since it's more to style, and was just planning to boil about 3-4 ounces for a 5 gallon batch. I'm thinking about 30 minutes, but would that be adequate to prevent an overpowering taste profile or is it too much?

2) I got a Flemish Ale yeast from White Labs and was wondering if I should bother with a starter. Along with this, I wanted to take about 2-3 ounces of those oak chips during the primary and use it in my lambic, as I only have Brett Lambicus from White Labs rather than an actual yeast. Would it be so different to use a starter (recommended by White Labs) with the yeast-soaked oak chips from the Flander's than to start with a less wild yeast first for primary fermentation?

3) I read in Wild Brews specifically that fruit shouldn't be added until at least 6 months after primary fermentation is commenced, but I've heard of others doing it after just racking to secondary after about a month in the primary. Anyone have any particular opinions one way or the other?

4) Room temperature here in my house in Hawaii runs as cool as 72 degrees to about 78 degrees, but summer will increase those temps by about 4 degrees. So, would this be too hot for secondary fermentation over the course of about 6-12 months?

Thanks ahead of time for any responses. There is not much info out there as far as actual taste profile results for sour beers that I've been able to find. I'm hoping that the local Surinam cherries (which are supposed to be more resin-like and less sweet) will also provide an adequate contrast as a kriek, but I'm also entertaining the possibility of local mangoes.

1. I'd wait and add the oak during secondary. Add it about a month or so before you bottle (maybe longer depending on your taste). I usually soak the oak in red wine first to get rid of the oak flavor. It can be very strong.
2. Not sure, I usually just toss the vial in the carboy after primary is complete, unless you are only using brett.
3. I think the idea is that adding fruit also gives the pedi, lacto, and bret more food as well as flavor. By waiting you are allowing them to eat what's already available because they tend to work slow. I don't know, I usually don't wait. I've had really good luck using a four month rotation. Brew every four months, secondary four months, add fruit at some point during this stage, then bottle and wait four more. Nice and sour and fairly quick. Plus it allows you to start blending.
4. Should be fine for sours.

Try the mangoes, that sounds pretty good. Passionfruit would be awesome too. If you brew a passionfruit sour, I'll trade you fro some of mine.

1) I don't know oak is to style. They are fermented in old oak barrels, but they don't impart any flavor. I do add oak to mine, but it is to provide some food for the Brett, and I can take the oak and move it to another beer to inoculate it. I would recommend cubes rather than chips. I usually use the oak in a different beer before using it in a sour.

2) Just toss in the vial. No starter. It will take a while to get going (a few days) because of the low yeast cell count, but that will allow the Lacto to get a start on souring the beer before the yeast starts creating alcohol. A slow start will actually speed up the souring of the beer. Just make sure you sanitize well.

3) I can't comment. I do add my fruit at about 8 to 10 months, but have never tried it earlier.

4) The Brett, lacto, and Pedio prefer warmer temperatures. I think you will be fine. Belgian yeasts (which is what is probably in he blend) also prefer it warm).

I do fruit some of my beers, only a couple of gallons at a time, but I also like them without, and the majority of mine are without. There is no reason to have to fruit a sour. I just do it to use up old fruit (save in freezer until I have enough) and provide some variety to my sours.

Thanks for the responses guys. I already boiled, steamed, and them soaked 4oz of oak chips (the soaking being with beer) and noticed a definite decrease in the profile. However, I will probably steam them one more time, as that seemed to leach the most color and likely taste, before soaking it for a third time in another beer. Every beer I've ever tasted that said they had been in oak barrels has had a very noticeable taste profile though, so I'm wondering why it would not be to style for a Flander's Red (Western)?

Since I'm brewing the Flander's today, I will have another feew weeks till I brew the Lambic, and about 4-8 months before I am ready to add fruit. I will likely siphon off half and let it sit in some growlers to age, allowing me to add different types of fruit along with keeping the original flavor to see how everything turns out. I'm not likely to do this again anytime soon, so I figure why not?

Update: I tasted my Flander's Red about a week ago (6-7 weeks after placing in the primary). It had a definite sour taste to it, but was a milder sourness and not altogether unpleasant.

I just brewed my lambic over the weekend and made a starter for by Brett Lambicus since it was past expiration and bought an Abbey Ale yeast to provide some mellowing out type of taste.

However, this is the third day after I placed the wort in the carboy and made the starter, and I might have a bit of a problem. I noticed activity in the starter with a fairly good krausen and went to throw it and the yeast in...but there was already activity... Something had already gotten inside and was eating my wort! I quickly threw in the starter and my yeast and now I'm just hoping for the best...

Not sure how it will turn out with the extra mess already having a head start but I'm hoping it turns out alright. I'll let it sit for about 2 months before adding some of the oak from my Flander's Red and then another 4 months before splitting up portions to try different fruits. Man I hope this turns out ok...at least it was a lambic and supposed to have bacteria of sorts...right???