Yeast Cake Question

I have a beer that is ready to be transfered to secondary, but I wont be ready to use its yeast cake for at least a week. I really want to get this one to secondary because it is dry-hopped for two weeks and I want it to be ready and bottled in mid June. Also, it has been in primary for 13 days, so by my typical practices it would be going into secondary today or tomorrow anyway. So, do I strech the primary and hope it bottle conditions quickly, or do I transfer to secondary and trust that the yeast cake will survive for 7 days with an inch of wort on top of it.

I could have it refrigerated if necessary while the first beer dry-hops warm for a week and then cold crashes for a week...

Thoughts,
Thanks,
Paul

I would go ahead and rack to secondary as planned (no hurry though). Leave enough beer behind to swirl up the yeast and then pour that in to a clean, sanitized 1 gallon glass jug. The yeast will be fine under the beer, in the fridge for a week or you can search 'yeast washing' and give that a go for longer storage. The glass jug will come in handy for storing yeast and making starters, it is a great investment. You can get them at the grocery filled with apple juice for a couple dollars more than the empty ones at your LHBS ($6 vs. $4). If you can't get a jug a mason jar or even a plastic juice container will work too.

Right, what he said...learn to wash it and save yourself the hassle.

Beside, your fermenter needs cleaning/sanitizing anyway.