My rim is unsanitary

[Algernon]

My FV was lovingly cleaned including the lid, but I forgot to sanitise the part of the outside of the FV that is actually inside the lid, right at the top.
This means I now have small amounts of what may be dust but frankly looks suspiciously like mould growing between the rim of the FV and the lid.
So, how do I get my beer out safely?
a: Chance it and remove the lid carefully and syphon as usual, having wiped the ming away with a sanitised cloth
b: remove the airlock and hope my syphon tube will fit through the hole?

I am strongly leaning towards option b as long as I can manage it.

 

[paddone]

Standard Siphon will not fit. You can get narrow gauge plastic tubing which fits through the gromit on your bucket. It will take an age to siphon through but safe. Check ebay or your local hardware shop for it.

 

[jonnymorris]

Just siphon it out as usual. You'll be fine.

 

[Algernon]

We're all good - my airlock and lid meet with a rubber grommet, so when that is removed my standard kit syphon (whatever size it is - looks about 10mm) will fit through.
I think I wil go with this option, leaves me unable to control it inside the FV as much as I would like so I may get bit n bobs, and I will have to be careful not to let it get air through, it'll be a bugger but worth it. I am worried about the mould.

 

[PD]

lazee cleaning.......... :nono: :nono:


get yourself one of the gorilla big rubber buckets lots of sanitiser in it and you can really go to town cleaning your FV's.

 

[Algernon]

We live and learn.
At the time of brewing I didn't have one of those monster buckets, but with the heatwave I got one for standing the FV in, so it will now double as a brewday sanitising bucket.
My previous method wash just to put about 5L of hot water with sanitiser in the FV, pop the lid on and shake, allowing pressure out via thumb over airlock hole. I forgot the rim this time round though. Only my 6th brew though, so I am yet to get into a proper routine, improving all the time though.

 

[jonnymorris]

Are you expecting the mould to jump up from the outside rim a launch itself into your beer? I had mould around the outside of my FV (after a fairly lively fermentation) when I bottled my latest brew last week and just carried on as normal - no problems. I'd be wary about trying to do it through the airlock hole as you'll suck up a lot more trub than you otherwise would.

 

[Algernon]

Ah I see what you mean Johnny. No, I don't think mould is that athletic :rofl:

I was worrying that once I pop the tightly sealed lid off my FV that, since small clumps are pretty much all the way round the top, whatever direction I remove the lid in will result in the mouldy rim being carried over the exposed beer. Spores don't jump, but they do fall. That's why I prefer to keep the lid undisturbed. I do see your point re: trub etc.
I will be syphoning into a PB with a tap to batch prime and bottle, I guess I could leave it in there overnight just to let any excess trub settle out, I'll have about a litre of deadspace in it anyway.

 

[Duxuk]

At least your beer has some alcohol to protect it, now. Some people on the forum don't sterilise their bottles for this reason. They simply wash them and reuse. Personally I always dunk mine in a sink with warm water and some Chemipro Oxy. The greater chance of infection is at the start when you have lots of bug food (sugars) and no alcohol.
Worry less and drink more! Oooooooooooohhhhhhh, that could be my family motto :

 

[Algernon]

Thanks Duxuk, reassuring thoughts. I always wondered about the faith people have in just letting the booze preserve itself. I have started brewing considerably more than I can drink, however, which means I am buildig up a stockpile which will be kicking around for months, maybe in the case of my Braggot for years. Mind you, at 10.6+ % anything that can grow in that deserves it.
So it will probably be fine, since it's all fermented. Hope so, I am trying out Brettanomyces in a few of these since I got a good lump of yeast in a bottle yesterday it seemed a shame not to.