I need some advice

I have a Belgian pale ale that's been sitting in secondary for a week now. When I racked it to secondary I added 2oz. of French Oak chips. I now realize I probably should've let it sit in secondary for a week then add the wood chips and taste it every few days. But since I will be going out of town in two days and will not be returning until next Tuesday night I don't know what to do. Should I leave the Oak chips in, which are in a bag weighed down with a SS butter knife or should I rack it to another carboy and bottle it when I get back? any input would be much appreciated.

Laz.

I'd taste it now and make a decision. If you have a thief, pull out a sample. If not, sanitize a small glass and dip out a sample. Let your taste buds be your guide. If the oak flavor is what you're looking for, pull the bag of chips. My experience is that oak flavor fades a bit over time, so you may think about having just a touch "too much" oak early on, with the flavor lessening over the next few weeks. If you don't already have a pair, now might be a good time to buy some 18" stainless tongs from your LHBS, sanitize and grab the bag out - that will save the hassle of having to rack off the chips.

Best of luck!