Repitching a yeast cake?

[dogtown brauhaus]

I racked my Amber Ale to a keg a couple of weeks ago and kept some beer on the cake (wlp001) for short term storage. The cake was stored at fermentation temps. However, when I went to collect it to prepare to repitch into a stout for the upcoming holiday, I found that the airlock had run dry. I am hoping that the beer on top will have provided enough protection from contamination to allow me to reuse the yeast. Do you guys think I'm safe or should I just go buy another tube?

[Brandt]

Pretty sure you'll be safe as long as you were clean and sanitary. The pH and alcohol in the beer will take care of most nasties. Besides, even dry, the airlock presents a physical chalenge to dust riding microbes.

[oneal66]

You probably wouldn't have a problem with contamination, but i would worry about the yeast cake sitting around for that long of a time at that high of a temp.

[dogtown brauhaus]

You probably wouldn't have a problem with contamination, but i would worry about the yeast cake sitting around for that long of a time at that high of a temp.

I was planning on making a 500ml feeder to give to the yeast the night before pitching. Do you think the yeast will be less viable because of the temps or do you think they will produce off flavors? If its the latter I'm just going to start with fresh yeast because I was planning on friends drinking the beer on St. Patty's Day.

[oneal66]

I think that the yeast will be less viable. Since they have been sitting a ferm temps without any new food for a few weeks, you will probably lose quite a bit of viability.

[Thirsty Mallard]

I wouldn't have even thought to save the yeast cake under a layer of beer... do you think you could protect the viability by keeping the yeast cake in a cold crash temperature so that they stay dormant?

[Crut]

This weekend will be my first time at reusing a cake.
Tell me it will work...please.
I racked the BN ARMY brew into keg, and left a little bit in the carboy. I cleaned and sanitized a gallon glass jug, swirled the carboy and the "bottom crud" as my friend called it, and pour it into the gallon jug through a sanitized funnel.

Im planning on doing another scottish of some sort. Can I just swirl and pitch the whole thing into the new batch? Im thinking of making some starter wort and adding to it for a little jive juice for the yeasties.
Thoughts/concerns?
-Crut

[BadRock]

Can I just swirl and pitch the whole thing into the new batch?

Your not going to want to pitch the whole gallon of slurry. You would way over pitch. Maybe about 6-8oz. depending upon the gravity of your next beer.