Brown Ale Sample .. Changed in a day?

I took a specific gravity reading on friday of my brown ale that is in the secondary; the gravity reading read 1.012.. all is well there. I tasted the sample and it was good- smooth, nutty, flavor.

Today, Sunday, I checked the SG again... all is well.. but the sample today tasted "astringent"... not as smooth as Friday's sample.

Could the beer change? Oxidize in that short of a period. The carboy is not filled all the way to the top, its about 4-5 inches under the mouth of the carboy. It has only been in the carboy for one week.

Any thoughts? Just my imagination on the flavor difference?

Thanks

Shamu

Oxidation tends to come across as wet cardboard in most beer or maybe sherry in high gravity beer. I have never heard of astringent being attributed to oxidation so you can rule that out.

I would think about what you had to eat/drink before you tasted the sample each time. This can have a profound effect on what we taste.

My advice is to leave it in the carboy for another week then bottle or keg as usual. And as always relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

Thanks..... ahhh yes, relax......

Shamu

First, oxidation takes months. Second, the flavor will change again, and again for the first two months.