Wheat Malt Gravity Units per lb?

What do you use for gravity points per pound on regular old wheat malt? I've been using 1.038 from BYO. I've been getting really poor efficiencies with all the wheat all grain brews I've done (65%). I asked my LHBS expert and this was the suggestion that made the most sense. He said 1.022 I think. He also ran the wheat through the crusher and this was a major mistake because it took two hours to sparge. Major PITA.

It's not, that wheat has a lower yield, it's the high protein content and lack of husk that makes the efficiency so low. It gets sticky and gummy, and can be harder to sparge. I always shoot for a lower efficiency when using a large percentage of wheat.

Designing Great Beers puts Malted Wheat at 37-40 GU.

Brewsmith said:

It's not, that wheat has a lower yield, it's the high protein content and lack of husk that makes the efficiency so low. It gets sticky and gummy, and can be harder to sparge. I always shoot for a lower efficiency when using a large percentage of wheat.

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Well this might explain why I got such lousy efficiency on the American Wheat I made this weekend when all my other mashing experiences were pretty productive. One other question - Does wheat absorb more water than 2-row? Because I came up short by almost a gallon even though I'm quite sure my calculations were spot on.

eschatz said:

Designing Great Beers puts Malted Wheat at 37-40 GU.

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Thats why I asked the question. I've seen those numbers around and have also read a few people around here complain about low efficiency with wheat. I suspect those numbers are wrong and don't know why.

Anyone out there that uses software like Beer Tools or Brew Smith want to comment?

I did an all-wheat beer and I only got 70% from it, including a ton of rice hulls, a protein rest and a long, slow sparge. My normal efficiency is 80% +. You will just get lower efficiency with wheat.