No prep for me just heat the water so the honey will dissolve nicely. Add a yeast nutrient because the honey does not provide the basics for the yeast to multiply and do their job. Add a quality ale or wine yeast and wait. Honey wine!
I was speaking to someone who worked in the Food Science Dept of our town’s university. Since wine-making is now a big deal in OR they have a few faculty who are ‘experts’. One commented that the honey needs to be pasteurized to eliminate bacteria. I suppose that’s the professional outlook, but wondered how necessary. One of these days I’ll get around to trying a mead. In the meantime, we’ve still got pears & white grapes in the freezer waiting to start. I’ve been so depressed by the election results I haven’t felt much like doing anything. Except maybe crying into an earlier vintage... ;-)