Youngs American Oaked Rum Ale - Oaked chips question

SteveMetal

I started brewing the Youngs American Oaked Rum Ale 6 days ago.
It comes with some Oaked Chips but the instructions do not say when to add them. I just assumed they would be added towards the end, at the same time you would add the hops.
But after a closer look at the instructions it says 'No hops to be added in American Oaked Rum Ale'. Realising now that these are Chips and not Hops, I have now added them to the fermenting bin and given it a good stir.
This is now creating quite a mess with it frothing over the top, so rather than the chips being mixed in with the beer they seem to have just settled on the top .
I am assuming I should have added these chips at the beginning? I am planning on leaving it in the fermenting bin for another week. I usually leave all my beers for 2 weeks before bottling.

How is this likely to affect the taste of the beer or I have I ruined it and is it best to ditch it and buy a new kit?

HBO_Staff

HI SteveMetal, with this brew Youngs say to add the Oak chips at the start when all the ingredients are being mixed up, if you add them later then the amount of flavour they will infuse will be reduced, but it wont harm or ruin the beer. The longer the chips are in the more flavour will be infused, if you plan to leave the brew in a vessel before bottling then this will give it more time to impart flavour too. Some ingredients when added float on the surface and you can stir them in if wanted with a sterilised spoon or paddle, they may sink once saturated, but as long as they are in the brew they will be adding flavour - too long and the flavour may get quite strong

SteveMetal

Thanks for your help. Hopefully the end result will not be too different.