Back-sweetening and keeping yeast from refermenting

I have a batch of mead that I would like to re-sweeten and I have used a dry yeast, couldn't I hypothetically bring the mead to around 140 degrees or so and finish off my lovely yeast that have been so good to me up until now?After they are gone I could backsweeten as much as I desire. Just wondering if this is a feasible work-around instead of using even more campden and potassium sorbate??

I do realize alcohol boils off @ 173 degree so I would be careful of that.

Thanks in advance for any information or advice!

Look up "easy stovetop pasteurization with pics." It talks about what you're planning, but as far as I know it talks about cider. There might be comments in there about mead.

Thanks for the tip on looking that up. That looks like a technique that would be perfect for me. I actually used a 1 gal fermenter for this batch (trying a quick apple sweet mead for first time) and I could cap it and use that method.

I can be my own guinea pig for any off-flavors, as I spend probably $4 dollars on ingredients and 89 cents for dry yeast.

Thanks.

Campden Tabs. Don't risk destroying all your flavors with heat.

mobilecabinworks said:

Campden Tabs. Don't risk destroying all your flavors with heat.

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Hear hear! Any use of heat is pointless, and will likely remove any nice aromatics and some of the more subtle flavouring elements.

Heat has no place in mead making, whatsoever! After all, it's mead making we're all about here, not canning peaches !

If you're worried about the sweetness, why not just step feed the batch until it won't ferment any further, then any residual sugars will just supply sweetness.