We prefer around 20°C, and no free SO2, if possible. Chuck in another
inoculum, and you should be OK if the problem was purely temperature
related. Your previous MLF may come back anyway, but a new inoculum won't
hurt.

Cheers,

Andrew
"Bruce" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi Guys...
>
> Things were going fine. Primary ferment was near the end and so I pitched
> the ML germ along with "germ food", whatever that was. The next day the
> ambient temperature here in Monterey dropped from a nice 74 degrees to a
> frost on the roof and my six carboys of Merlot went to the 50s. Worst, I
> rechecked the SO2 and it was still in the 50s. Obviously not a MLF
> environment. I suspect I have to start it all over.
> I built a "cupboard" for two five-gallon carboys that will maintain the
> temperature to whatever I want.
>
> Questions: Should I start two carboys now in the cupboard with a new
pitch
> or wait until I have racked off the lees? Do lees help? Will it work ok
if
> I wait for each pair of carboys to finish MLF when it will take maybe two
> months each? What would be the optimum SO2 to bring the carboys to before
> pitching again? And finally, what would be the optimum temperature to set
> for the cupboard? Lots of questions.... Many thanks.
>
> Cheers,
> Bruce
>
>
>
>