Uh oh! Mold on outside rim of my fermenter!

[MOK_Z]

First off, I'd like to say I try to meticulous as I can with my sanitation. But I've just discovered a problem, when adding finings to my beer I'm due to bottle tomorrow...

I opened up the rim of the fermenter, which itself has been confined to a fastferment jacket, for the first time since brew day. I've not touched it. Normally I would put it into a secondary, but I was following a recipe which didn't specify to do so. So it's remained closed. Air-tight (I thought).

I took my last sample a week ago, before lagering (it's my first lager), and it tasted amazing...

But here's the issue, when popping open the lid of the fermenter to introduce the finings, I noticed black mould on the outside rim (underneath where the lid sits). The whole way round, but not on the inside. So, I have two questions:

• Is my beer likely infected?
• If it wasn't infected before, is it likely infected now that I've replaced the lid?

Can I get away with not going through the heart-breaking process of throwing away this beer, or is it necessary?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clint]

If it looks OK and smells OK crack on as normal.

 

[RichardM]

I haven't read all of your post, but if the mold is on the outside and, as @Clint says, it looks and smells ok, then carry on as normal