oak chips

[sodevo]

I'm gonna try adding some mild american oak chips to a golden belgium ale i got in the secondary. Anyone got any experiance. Best way to sanatize, amount, time in secondary, and temperture. I like to bring my Belgium brews down to 35 degrees for a couple of weeks before I bottle. would this be the right time for oak chips or should I add them before?

Thanks man

[Ken Powers]

I have done a little experimenting with oak chips and have found that I have better control over their use by creating a tea. I use about 2 ounces of medium roast french oak chips in a pan with a couple cups of water. I bring the temperature of the mixture up to about 180 degrees on the stove and let the chips steep for about 20 minutes. I then let the mixture cool, strain off the chips, and pour the liquid into my secondary fermenter. This seems to give me a fairly strong initial oak flavor to my stouts. The flavor tends to mellow a little over time. I also like to add a Tbsp of Lactic Acid to add some further tang to the aftertaste.