Oaking a Scotch Ale
what if you used higher proof alcohol?
I'm sure some moonshine or Bacardi 151 would work but here's the problem: If you soak the oak chips in something you're going to lose flavor and tannins into whatever solution its in. You could add the oak chip and spirit mix back into your beer but that's going to add a lot of hot alcohol flavors to your beer.
I think I'm going to opt for the steam or 150 degree water methods for sanitizing.
I go with Andrew Jenson +2 on the steam
Irondavy
I have done a no soak in the past. Post ferment on a big beer, not much will survive anyhow, if you dont need to infuse flavors, just throw the wood in. worry about it later! It'll be fine.
Steam. i bought a cheap little steamer for like $25 and use it for all wood chips.
Here's an interesting excerpt from an article I found in a past Zymurgy issue written by the head brewer from DFH:
... a hop bag containing the wood chips can be soaked for 10 minutes in 185F water acidified with food grade phosphoric acid to a concentration of about 0.25 percent... to sanitize.
It seems a bit unnecessary but another option to sanitizing wood chips so I thought I'd share it. He alternatively suggests using steam.
Steam steam steam steam
chug chug chug chug
Alright well I got my medium toast French oak chips this weekend and unfortunately my 1 gallon jugs weren't in so I had to go scavenge a couple of Carlo and Rossi jugs from friends and neighbors. The Scotch ale has been in primary for 7 weeks or something like that so I couldn't wait any longer.
I took a gravity sample today and its down to 1.024 from 1.097; 9.7% abv. It tastes good; a little hot, syrupy and malty, a little hops presence , and an earthy, smokey character. If that smokey character are what people are trying to replicated with peat malt, don't do it. Use the Scottish ale yeast and thank me later.
Yesterday I took .25oz of oak chips and soaked them in 1oz of 12 year Jameson Whiskey and I'm about to go steam (Yes Mike, I'm going to steam them) another .25 oz for the other 1 gallon jug.
What did you do with the Jameson? 
ID
Dumped it into the beer too. I didn't want to lose any oak flavors and I heard that soaking oak chips in whiskey alone won't give you enough whiskey flavor.