First AG batch help needed

I'm hoping to brew my first batch of AG this weekend but I have a question about the mash and how much water to add.

I plan to do batch sparging with a single infusion mash. I found a recipe here:
www.beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=2521 that I'd like to try.

After reading this:
home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.html
and using this spreadsheet:
home.elp.rr.com/brewbeer/files/nbsparge.xls

I calculate I'll need a mash thickness of 0.367. That would be ~1.5 pints/lb of water for the mash. That seems extremely high. Ken Schwartz's site recommends a "normal thickness less than or equal to R" and then add water just before the first runoff to get up to R.

How do I know what a normal mash thickness should be for this recipe?

0.367 Way too AR for me. I do a gallon per three pounds.

I use 1.2 quarts per pound of malt for the initial strike water. I then add the equivalent of .12 quarts per pound for absorbtion and dead space left in my cooler and add that amount before the first runoff. I calculate the sparges to be as equal as possible. Your mileage may vary depending on the crush but it is a good place to start.
You might read this page >http://www.hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
for some good information.

Blender said:

I use 1.2 quarts per pound of malt for the initial strike water. I then add the equivalent of .12 quarts per pound for absorbtion and dead space left in my cooler and add that amount before the first runoff. I calculate the sparges to be as equal as possible. Your mileage may vary depending on the crush but it is a good place to start.
You might read this page >http://www.hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
for some good information.

Click to expand...

I've read that page as well. On there the suggestion is 1 to 1.3 qt/lb. After a bit more reading, it looks like 1.25 is a pretty good strike thickness. Other posters suggest mash temp and water pH are far more important variables to be concerned about.

sigaas said:

I've read that page as well. On there the suggestion is 1 to 1.3 qt/lb. After a bit more reading, it looks like 1.25 is a pretty good strike thickness. Other posters suggest mash temp and water pH are far more important variables to be concerned about.

Click to expand...

I would be more concerned about temperature and grain crush. I don't worry to much about pH.

go to promash.com and download the demo. unless you are facinated by working formulas...

that's been the best investement we have made.