Need to pre-treat raw, apiary fresh honey?

[winvarin]

I am planning on making a melomel with honey recently harvested from a friend's apiary. The honey will be raw and untreated (was still in the hive until a couple of weeks ago).

Do I need to worry about wild yeasts? Should I plan on treating with campden or sulfite first?

I ordered the nutrients and a spare fermenter (along with the apricot puree) today. I'm probably looking at Labor Day weekend before I can make the must.

I regularly keep raw honey on the shelf in my pantry for months. I eat it and have no problems. I'm just wondering if I need to treat it and let it rest before mixing down with water and pitching yeast and nutrients. Or if I am good to just take the honey in its current form and follow Hightests guidelines?

If it makes any difference, I plan to ferment with 2 sachets of rehydrated ICV-D47.

The apricots will go in at pitching because I am looking for more of an enhancement to the flavor, not to have the apricots take front and center.

 

[snuesen]

Best stuff you can use, hands down.no need to mess with it.

 

[fatbloke]

Best stuff you can use, hands down.no need to mess with it.

+ 1......

Its a bit like certain foods....

Most of the western world has this fixation on chilling everything, which is understandable.

People then sneer down their noses when France pops up and says "why" (alluding to cheeses specifically here).

We all want to jump around, finger pointing and asking if they're completely f*****g stupid.

Yet we forget that they have a history of cheesemaking that goes back long before refrigeration, and that its my understanding that the only contaminated milk/cheese scandals they've had in recent years is from factory processing where the milk is pasteurised before use.

So even if France has some natural facilities most of us don't, then its still right to ask the question.....

Ergo, processing will always take something away. Whether its aromatics, more volatile flavouring elements, pollens or proteins that might give the honey its special something or whatever.

Also, any hive/apiary debris will come out during the making anyway...

Which is why, if I can get it, prefer raw honey. Equally I try to consider all of the processes, including my "making" steps and whether tbey might affect flavour and quality of the brew. Right down to which yeast, and is whatever process stage destructive to the honey etc.....

I can't think of every possible factor or predict every out come.......

Doesn't stop me trying......

 

[WVMJ]

If it makes you feel better than go ahead and add some sulfites, the old SOP was to boil the crap out of the honey a decade ago so putting some KM in there is a big leap ahead of the old ways. You might want to save it for the 2nd racking in carboys to help protect more from oxidation and anything getting in there that make vinegar. Its always good to have a beekeeper friend! WVMJ

 

[twopounder]

It depends on what you want to achieve. You don't even need to add yeast if you decide on a wild brew (I'm surprised more people haven't caught on to this), but be warned that you have no control over exactly what kind of yeast it will be. It could be delicious, it could taste like and old boot. Though from what I've read, it typically tastes perfectly fine, and adding fruit or berries greatly enhances the overall flavor anyway.

You can get a much more measured and predictable result by boiling it and adding a yeast culture, but you lose a lot of flavor and much of the reason to brew your own (in my opinion).

As far as sanitation goes, humans have been brewing mead for 10,000 years. Long before idophor and BPA free buckets. There is nothing wrong with consuming fresh, raw honey. As a matter of fact, there are numerous studies that indicate it can be extremely beneficial.

Just my opinion though. Feel free to do whatever you think tastes best.