Yes agree, I am sure they are very efficient in their processing for yielding large amounts of beer at a lower cost. Craft beer steps away from that model and focuses beer quality. I am no beer snob and enjoy a nice cold Bud on a hot summer day. Roger that on the American Light Lager.
I have the same capability in my Brewha 3-1 system that I never use. Seems like a lot of extra effort for little gain. Keep in mind also that you need to fill the keg on a scale to determine how much beer volume has been transferred. I mean it's cool and everything, but I guess I'm too lazy to...
This is normal. Strike temp is always higher than mash. If your recirculating under temp each system will have a somewhat different strike temp. My system happens to be 4 degrees F.
Did you do a SG reading when the wort was hot?
I plugged your grain bill into BeerSmith and it says your OG should be around 1.038 with the extra .25 gallon. I assumed you mashed at 152-155 for an hour.
This is what I use. It's more expensive than grainfather, but you won't grow out of it. Good luck with what ever you chose.
https://brewhaequipment.com/products/biac-all-in-one-brewing-system-package
I try hard not to be that guy. Seems like every hipster with a beard and knit cap are "hop experts" now. If I have questions I will try to have a quiet one on one with the brewer. There is one place I enjoy going to occasionally where they know I home brew, and I bring my beer in for them to...
Here is my take at 6.5 gallons:
Grain
2 row 13.25 lbs
Flakes oats 3.5 lbs
Dextrine 1.25 lbs
Caramunich 6 oz lbs
Hops
Columbus 1 oz 60 min
Citra .5 oz 60 min
Simcoe 2 oz 5 min
Amarillo 4 oz 0 min
Citra 2 oz 0 min
Amarillo 2 oz dry
Citra 2 oz dry