IPA water profile/ph question for biab batch

[makisupapolice14]

I'm planning to do an Ithaca flower power clone recipe using full volume mash for biab and I have a few questions regarding IPA water profile and a good mash ph
For ipa.

Per the priceless biab calculator, I need 8.5
Gallons of mash water for a 5.5 gallon batch. I use 100% ro water from a millipore system I have at work.

This is the grain bill:
15 lbs 2-row (94.8%)
6.6 oz honey malt (2.6%)- is this considered a crystal malt? What color should I enter? Online I've seen values such as 25L
6.6 oz acid malt (2.6%)

I use ez water for my mash ph predictions and it has been pretty spot on so far. For my first all grain IPA recipe, a more balanced two hearted clone, I used ajs primer for IPA and simply added the gram equivalent of 1tsp/gallon of gypsum and cacl (so 6.7g gypsum and 7.2 g cacl in 8.5 gallons mash water) and about 2% acid malt. The results were very good but this beer is a bit more hop forward so I wanted to possibly experiment to make the hops pop a bit more without being harshly bitter or chalky.

This is what I'm proposing for this recipe. First, I'm reducing the acid malt to 5 0z (2%) because my predicted mash ph in wz water with the below mineral additions was 5.33.
With 5oz it is 5.4 at room temp. (I've read 5.4 is ideal for hoppy beers)

To 8.5 gallons mash water (100% ro)
6.7 g gypsum
7.2 g calcium chloride
3 g Epsom salt

Water profile
Ca 108
Mg 9
Na 0
Cl 108
So4 153
Cl/s04 ratio 0.71

Any glaring things I should change? I just don't want to overdo it and ruin the beer. I'd rather start on the lower to mid end and tweak in the future if need be. If I should just follow the primer like i did before I can do that also. Thanks!!

 

[stickyfinger]

i haven't really found that SO4 or Cl have much effect on hop character. i know people say gypsum makes it more hoppy, but i'd say it just makes it taste more dry. you should try some batches with only calcium chloride or only sulfate additions and see what you think on the same recipe.