Confusion... Mash and Sparge

And don't confuse it with Brewhouse efficiency.

 

I mentioned it, as if the conversion efficiency is not close to 1, then you are not going to make up for that later in the process. There are many steps with efficiencies less than 1 multiplied in the process.

OP - For the thickness of the mash, you can look up what gravity the mash liquid should have. See the table under conversion efficiency in the link. Read the link.
http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Understanding_Efficiency

If the crush, the temp, time of mash, or pH are not right, the number will be low.

 

Kind of depends whether the HBS has already factored in the "free crush" to the price of their grain (not to mention shipping if they aren't local)...even my "local" one I have to drive 120 Miles to -round trip...just say'in.

I base it just as much on which "house base grain" they are carrying.

 

I also thought that charging for grain crushing to be bit much. In the defense of the store owner (who is also the only employee), his prices on everything cannot be beat. The only downside is that his volume is so low that the more perishable items such as yeast and LME are not always the freshest. I always plan to go elsewhere for yeast.