What happens exactly as it relates to the character of the beer? More specifically, I know that higher mash temps equals a fuller bodied beer with less fermentables than a lower mash temp that produces a wort high in fermentables but a lighter bodied beer. But I'm wondering is what happens if you start at say 158 and then simply let the mash temp fall through to the 150 range? Would you get the best of both worlds? Would you end up with a full bodied and still highly fermentable beer? My guess is probably not.
Would you end up with a highly fermentable lighter bodied beer as the the temp falls the enzyme activity starts to favor the production of a light bodied more fermentable beer, thus the temperature drop basically cancels out the activity that occurred initially at the higher temp which in effect means you wasted your time starting the mash out at the higher temp?
or
Does the mash temp at the higher temp convert everything and the temp drop doesn't mean anything because by the time the temp drops the conversion is already complete (assuming for the examples sake that the time at each temp is adequate for complete conversion) and the higher temp basically denatures the enzymes that would have done the work at the lower temps so when the mash temp gets to the lower temps there aren't any enzymes left to do produce what a lower mash temp would have produced had you started there in the first place?
Finally, on a related note, why do step mashes always go up in temp and not down? Also, I've seen step mashes that suggest a rest at the 148-152 region and then another rest at the 158 region. Seems like this rest is trying to have a highly fermentable full bodied wort? I always thought the mash was a compromise, full bodied less fermentable or vice versa, can you really have a full bodied highly fermentable wort like that? Seems like the enzymes would take the dextrines and cleave them to the point of fermentablitiy at the 148-152 range so when you rested at the 158 range all the starches are already converted to the smaller fermentable sugars so there shouldn't be any starches left to convert into the larger dextrins that produce a full bodied beer?
What am I missing?
Would you end up with a highly fermentable lighter bodied beer as the the temp falls the enzyme activity starts to favor the production of a light bodied more fermentable beer, thus the temperature drop basically cancels out the activity that occurred initially at the higher temp which in effect means you wasted your time starting the mash out at the higher temp?
or
Does the mash temp at the higher temp convert everything and the temp drop doesn't mean anything because by the time the temp drops the conversion is already complete (assuming for the examples sake that the time at each temp is adequate for complete conversion) and the higher temp basically denatures the enzymes that would have done the work at the lower temps so when the mash temp gets to the lower temps there aren't any enzymes left to do produce what a lower mash temp would have produced had you started there in the first place?
Finally, on a related note, why do step mashes always go up in temp and not down? Also, I've seen step mashes that suggest a rest at the 148-152 region and then another rest at the 158 region. Seems like this rest is trying to have a highly fermentable full bodied wort? I always thought the mash was a compromise, full bodied less fermentable or vice versa, can you really have a full bodied highly fermentable wort like that? Seems like the enzymes would take the dextrines and cleave them to the point of fermentablitiy at the 148-152 range so when you rested at the 158 range all the starches are already converted to the smaller fermentable sugars so there shouldn't be any starches left to convert into the larger dextrins that produce a full bodied beer?
What am I missing?