Hochkurz mashing in reverse order

[Kodos]

Braukaiser gave a presentation on this exact topic at last year's Australian home brewing conference and yes, it can work.

The reason for doing it was to create even more fermentable wort for particularly dry beers.

I can't remember exactly how he does it but I'm pretty sure it was via a reverse decoction of some sort. I've been meaning to find his notes anyway, so I'll post the link if I find it.

From very hazy memory, the idea was to mash in low, rest for a short while, remove an amount of the enzyme-rich liquid, and keep it aside as you raise the temp of the thick part of the mash. After the thick mash has rested at the higher temp, add the cooler, thin mash back in to drop the temperature.

I hope to try something like it on a beer with lots of complex malts that I also want to finish v dry (eg altbier).

[Ozwald]

Sounds like a whole lot of unnecessary work that can be accomplished much quicker, cheaper & easier with 'traditional' methods.

[brewindruid]

Thos malters snatched away all our ...FUN?
It just seems to make sense that you would want to break up those log chain sugars first, then have the wee beasties finish off what was left. You could hold out a portion of the grain bill and add it back at the lower temp to get acitive enzymes, I don't think using commercial enzymes would be at all cost drrective for us, but it the cost and effort worth the result. I ususally look at it this way, why isn't it a common practice any longer? Like decoction mashing, it really does make a difference, and some can tell, but is the difference worth the extra work involved? I'll just use Melanoiden malt and confess to a tiny cheat!

Cheers
Scott