1 week old yeast cake - ok to use?

[Catnip_X07]

I racked a pale ale one week ago. I was going to brew a cream ale and toss on the pale ale cake.

One week has passed and I haven't brewed the cream ale. The yeast cake is in the fermenting bucket and has about 1/4-1/2 inch of beer on top of it. Fermenter is sealed with lid on top and stored in the basement at a 58 degree temp.

Assuming proper sanitation and ignoring the "yeast cake will be explosive", is a one week old yeast cake ok to use?

 

[SKMO]

My opinion -

If your sanitation has been good all around it should be fine. I do a lot of things that are not "by the book", but solid sanitation will buy you a lot of leeway. I have thrown wort on cakes a few days old numerous times with no problems, as long as everything was clean to begin with and I kept it clean before pitching back.

If your next batch is around the same OG or lower, and this is an appropriate yeast I would go for it myself.

Google "proof is in the pudding". Never mind, I'll save you the keystrokes: "To fully test something you need to experience it yourself."

If you are the nervous type just start from scratch, you will sleep better. If you feel the planets generally align in your favor go for it. Your chance of this working successfully are very good.