The Kolbach and SNR numbers indicate level of modification. Chances are, fully modified malt won't make ale and lager unless enzymes are added. When enzymes are added the temperature which activates the enzyme is used. Brewers grade malt modification is below 40 Kolbach, high modified, homebrew malt is 42 to 46 Kolbach. The higher the modification the less rich the malt is in enzyme content. The higher the modification the closer to becoming a plant.
Brewers grade malt is below 10% protein. Homebrew malt is 12 to 16%. The higher the percentage of protein the less sugar is in the malt. Kolbach, percentage of protein, malt pH, extract efficiency, gravity per pound are a few numbers listed on a malt spec sheet. Every bag of malt comes with one, believe it or not. Malt is very inconsistent and every bag, sack, car load of malt is tested and the test results are listed on a spec sheet. A person interested in purchasing malt looks over the spec sheet to determine if the malt will make ale and lager or if it is better suited for making whiskey with.
The beer is still in a carboy, so, it's pretty early to make an accurate determination on whether the method worked or didn't work. From years of experience producing only lager and Pils the method didn't work. It wouldn't make ale, either.
The brewer that mentioned certain temperatures won't cause anything to happen in fully modified malt is 100% correct. The malt lacks the enzymes that would do what they're supposed to do with starch, fiber and sugar.
A rest at 130F has more to do with fibrous Beta glucan than with protein, but it's proteolytic enzymes that reduce the fiber. The enzyme releases glucose from the fiber during the rest. A rest temperature between 120 and 125F are used during a protein rest when brewers grade malt is used. Alpha is active at 130F, too. I'm assuming that fully modified malt was used which lacks the enzymes required during the 130F rest, but Alpha was slowly releasing simple sugar, glucose which yeast rips up during primary fermentation, cranking up ABV.
During a rest at 145F Beta is active, Alpha, too. Conversion occurs during the rest when Beta converts glucose released by Alpha during saccharification into maltose and maltotriose, complex sugar which yeast doesn't care for too much.
In fully modified malt Beta is whipped and conversion doesn't occur. When conversion doesn't occur the wort lacks the types of sugar needed in ale and lager. When conversion occurs secondary fermentation is needed and the beer won't need to be primed with sugar or CO2 for carbonation. During aging yeast converts maltotriose back into glucose. The sugar is fuel and natural carbonation takes place and the beer drops to expected FG. When beer contains maltose and maltotriose and the beer is primed with sugar, yeast rips through the sugar first, then goes after complex sugar and over carbonation, gushers and bottle bombs happen.
During a rest at 158F Alpha releases more sweet tasting, nonfermenting sugar than glucose. Depending on the length of the rest the sweet sugar may balance out some of the drying characteristic in beer caused when mash is rested during low temperatures.
To make things easier.
Alpha is responsible for liquefaction (occurs when the amylose starch chain is cut), saccharification (after the chain is cut, the reducing end contains sweet tasting, nonfermenting sugar, the nonreducing end is glucose) and dextrinization (occurs when Alpha releases A and B limit dextrin from complex starch, amylopectin). A and B limit dextrin are types of tasteless, nonfermenting sugar responsible for body and mouthfeel. The starch is heat resistant and makes up the tips of malt. Being complex starch it's the richest starch in malt. During the infusion brewing process temperatures are not high enough to cause the starch to enter into solution. The starch is left in the spent mash. The starch are small, white particles noticeable in spent mash. When the starch is turned into flour starch carry over occurs because it requires high heat to stretch out the coils of pectin. Pectin causes beer to gel during storage. It's strange looking stuff. When amylopectin is left in spent mash the beer lacks body and mouthfeel. Amylopectin is one of the reasons for the decoction method because mash is boiled, the starch is in solution. When the boiling mash is added back into the tun dextrinization takes place.
Beta is responsible for conversion 140, 145F. During conversion Beta converts glucose into maltose and maltotriose.
All that kinda stuff I mentioned needs to happen to make ale and lager, otherwise, the beer will be similar to prohibition style beer.
"Seems like the malting companies have done pretty much all of the work for us these days. Meanwhile I have a bunch of no-head beers but they do taste really good otherwise I'm happy to say."
The malting companies only produced the malt you purchased and you assumed that the recipe that recommended purchasing the malt was 100% correct. E caveat emptor, buy brewers grade malt which is available but not in an HBS. Skagit Malting Co and Pioneer Malting come to mind. It's common to beat up the maltster, for real, in homebrewing. It would be better to beat up the person that didn't tell you that malt is inconsistent.
Next time purchase Weyermann Pils floor malt, it's expensive but you'll need it. Some HBS carry it, pay attention to the use by date on the bag.
Rest the mash at 122 to 125F for 10 minutes. Crank the heat up to 140F rest the mash for 40 minutes, crank the heat up to 154F and rest for 10 minutes, crank the heat up to 162F and rest for 20 minutes. No mash out. Mash out only works with the decoction method, the right way. Fly sparge, you worked to hard to batch sparge. Run off extract to 1012. Boil the wort, skimming off hot break as it forms. When hot break stops forming or drastically reduces add hops and skim off second hot break. Cool the wort and allow it to settle for a few hours. Rack the wort off the goop and add yeast. Primary 10 days, secondary two weeks. Keg the beer adding no sugar and wait. Test for carbonation every so often. When the beer is clear, pound it down. It may take several months depending on OG, your making lager. To make the beer richer and with more backbone to go through a long aging cycle without falling apart boil some mash and add it before Alpha denatures.
