Need advice on adding French Oak chips

[nipsy3]

I have a little under 5 gallons of a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale that I wanted to add some French Oak chips to the secondary. I have a four oz. bag. How much and how long? I want a noticeable presence, but not an overwhelming one.

Also, the bag says to soak in water for 12 hours before adding? Why? Is it necessary. Do I need to boil them at any point for sanitation?

Thanks.

 

[kevmoron]

I can answer one of your questions. The chips will absorb a lot of water. You need to soak beforehand to avoid losing a large amount of beer to the chips. Soaking allows you to saturate them ahead of time so the loss is minimized.

I would boil them, though others may have differing opinions.