My first attempt at Mead. Please confirm my process.

[Jasii]

Hello friends!
This is my first attempt at Mead making. I have procured some nice natural raw honey direct from a honey collector. It has not been treated, not even filtered. Also has pollen. The temperatures here are low (around 11-13 deg C daytime, nighttime goes down to 4 degrees C). I want to make a 4L batch. I seek advice from elders to affirm I am on the right path please. Here's what my process will be.
Batch size. 4L
Ingredients:
Honey 1.3kg.
Water 2.7 litres (alpine spring water from a rivulet)
Yeast .6 gms per litre (yeast procured online rated at 15% ABV
DAP 2gms staggered/step fed in 3 parts
Energiser 2gms staggered as DAP nutrient
Lemon juice 3 teaspoon
Campden powder 1gm.

Process:
Sanitise all vessels
Heat honey to 35 deg to make it runny and filter manually to remove contaminants like bee parts etc
Add 1/2 the water heated to 35 deg C to honey
Shake well to mix.
Add DAP, Energiser, Capden & lime juice. Shake well
Add rest of the water and shake till honey is well assimilated.
Check Gravity reading, Close lid and leave overnight without Airlock
Activate yeast
Bring must to 20 degree C (yeast pitching temp is mentioned on label)
Add activated yeast to must (honey water solution)
Pour from one vessel to another 3-4 time to introduce oxygen
Leave for a month with airlock
Check OG again
Transfer to secondary and leave for another 3-4 months with airlock.
I shall try to maintain temperature around 20 degC using a digital temperature controller & a heat blower.
Check FG
Taste, back sweeten if required.
Bottle

Please educate me if the process sounds OK and fill up loopholes if any.
Thank you all for your time.

Kind Regards,
Jasii

 

[videojunkie1208]

First, I would treat or boil your water. I don't know where you are, but giardia is a nasty bug to get, and at least in North America is present in almost all streams and waterways even in the highest elevations.

You aren't using any fruit so you can skip the campden.

You can keep the honey in the 20 ish degrees range. And mix it with the water. I would add the yeast after adding the honey. There's no need to wait overnight.

Other than that, you are definitely on the right track.

 

[CKuhns]

Sounds like your on the right track.

If you have been drinking the spring water with no ill effects, then i would think there is no need to sterilize it. (Definately a safe option if you are concerned) boiling will definately change the flavor.

At 20 C (68F for us in the US) some yeasts could throw some off flavors. I tend to run nearer the middle to a little on the lower end of the recommended temp range for the yeast. Takes a little longer but often produces a "cleaner" ferment.

Welcome and good luck!! Let us know how it is going. Enjoy the journey.

 

[Jasii]

First, I would treat or boil your water. I don't know where you are, but giardia is a nasty bug to get, and at least in North America is present in almost all streams and waterways even in the highest elevations.

You aren't using any fruit so you can skip the campden.

You can keep the honey in the 20 ish degrees range. And mix it with the water. I would add the yeast after adding the honey. There's no need to wait overnight.

Other than that, you are definitely on the right track.

Thank you for your revert. Appreciate it!
A) The water source is acclaimed and people come from near & far to carry drinking water hence, it is safe to drink.
I did not want to use 1) RO water as it would in my opinion be flat and stripped off all minerals. 2) Did not want to boil water as that would strip off all oxygen and I do not have the means to introduce oxygen. (oxygenator kit/pure O2 can)
B)Wanted to use Potassium metabisulphite to deactivate wild yeast strains in my wild/untreated honey if any as I am not boiling the must.
C) Waiting overnight came into the picture as I wanted to activate the yeast overnight. Also wanted to give time for the Campden to act
Please correct wherever my thinking is flawed.
Thank You,
With regards----Jasii

 

[Jasii]

Sounds like your on the right track.

Thank you Sir!

If you have been drinking the spring water with no ill effects, then i would think there is no need to sterilize it. (Definately a safe option if you are concerned) boiling will definately change the flavor.

Yes water is drinkable and I and many many more have been drinking it

At 20 C (68F for us in the US) some yeasts could throw some off flavors. I tend to run nearer the middle to a little on the lower end of the recommended temp range for the yeast. Takes a little longer but often produces a "cleaner" ferment. Welcome and good luck!! Let us know how it is going. Enjoy the journey.

I stay in India and getting branded brewer yeast is very difficult/impossible. The one that I am using is from an Indian brewing site
and is called "Honey mead & Rose wine yeast" It is rated at 12-15% ABV and temperature tolerances (20-35 C)
Do please add your opinion, the same will handhold me and encourage me no end. Lastly Thank you once again.

 

[CKuhns]

Looks like your already on the low end of the yeast temp tolerance. At 20 C I would think you would be ok. If it is too slow or stalls based upon the range you provided you could kick it up 5 deg or so and that likely would get it moving again.

 

[Jasii]

Looks like your already on the low end of the yeast temp tolerance. At 20 C I would think you would be ok. If it is too slow or stalls based upon the range you provided you could kick it up 5 deg or so and that likely would get it moving again.

Maybe I should jack it up a couple of degrees like 22 deg C. Thank you for your vindication. Will post pics once I initiate the process.