Get on amazon and order an air lock. E.g. Here is what I bought.
Buy a mango or two, a canning jar, some garlic cloves. Drill a hole in a large mason jar lid and hot glue that air lock into the top.
Slice up everything and put it in the jar in a cabinet for a week.
Later blend it and add in a pinch of Xantham gum to keep it thick. Put in fancy hot sauce bottles or just jar it.
https://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-Airlock-Carboy-Bung/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=homebrew+airlock&qid=1625629739&sr=8-5 “universal” rubber bungs like these can fit a lot of different sizes, on account of their sloping shape and the flexibility of the rubber. I used these and they fit most jugs (milk, Arizona iced tea, etc.). I just wash out the jugs with a sterilizing liquid first and they work great.
I agree with this, I would recommend getting water valves which are just these little s shaped things that fit to the top of the bottle with a cork to let the gas out but don't let anything contaminate it Edit: these but not specifically this item you'll need to get separate stoppers for the smaller bottles
If you check out grocery stores, you can often find 1 gallon glass carboys full of apple juice. It's the same type of carboy that you can buy from Amazon, but it comes filled with apple juice.
All you'd need then would be an airlock and bung, and yeast (which can be found on Amazon - mostly. I guess I like Amazon.)
You can also find the same things from Homebrew online stores. Or better yet, if you have a local homebrew store, get the stuff there. Cheaper and there's people who love talking about this stuff there.
Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_DRS4YN4DKMPYQXMK6X4F?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
These bungs. Carboy I got from craftabrew. Just ordered their bung from their own website. Maybe that's the issue, not sure though.
I've never made sake, so I don't know if it needs more stuff, but the very least you will need a container with an airlock like this to allow the carbon dioxide to escape. Any store that sells wine yeast will have these.
Also there are brewers fermenting caps, maybe that’s what you’re looking for? Maybe I’m confused on the problem you’re having. Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_PFAHB9DXZZ03YT6W7D54?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
My phrasing in the first comment was a bit vague, I was worried about pressure being accidentally released through the spout instead of the airlock. I was thinking the same thing about racking though, it could hopefully save me some money on an autosiphon as well.
Do you think this standard kind of airlock work well, or would I need a separate grommet in addition to that?
Grapes, ehh no wine you can make at home will compare to a $10 bottle of red you could get at the store.
Cider is different story, most of America's cider making apple varietals were chopped down during prohibitions, so the cider market isn't what it could be, compared to wine.
Now most apple juice you'd buy at the store is gonna be from Dessert Apples, apples with low tannins(bitter stuff that gives body/better flavors) and high in sugar. Most apples you'd find on trees, say in your back yard, are probably a dessert apple, unless theyre crab apples in which case theyre pretty okay for making cider. A good varietal for cidermaking that is grown in the USA is Winesap, that's probably the best you can find, if you don't know what you're looking for. If you have any access to peaches or pears you can add those to your juice to give it a little complexity.
So here's what I would if I were ( and I am) a frugal bastard wanting to make cider on the cheap. Go to wholefood, trader joes, any "organic" market you can find and look for one of these now the key for apple juice, if you're buying from the store, is that is DOESN'T have any preservatives. Those preservatives help block or inhib fermentation, so it has a longer shelf life. You want something that says it doesnt have any preservatives, look on the ingredient list for things like potassium sorbate.
So you've got your juice ( and conveniently a glass container to ferment in) now you need to get some sugar ( any sugar will do), an airlock, a rubber seal, and some yeast. Throw some sugar into the juice, toss some yeast in, put the bung (rubber seal) on, put some water in the airlock, smush that into the bung, place in 55-65F degree dark room, and wait 2 weeks.
Ka-Blam 6-10% Cider. Add back in some apple concentrate to taste when you serve it, and there you go 5-8% ABV Apple Cider on the cheap.
And now you get to keep the glass container, which is known in the brewing world as a carboy for future brews.
Here is, albeit a little over priced, bung and airlock combo from amazon.
Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_AETKTZRA1GYBEDS9PEQD
Sorry, not 3 bucks, $3.25.
Pellicle formation in hard booch is not a good sign - means that oxygen is getting into the vessel and preventing the anaerobic environment that creates alcohol. You should try again using a proper airlock (something like these https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4, but with a lid that fits your jar).
I just got an airlock in the mail, I would recommend it, super cheap but it's well made.
Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_d2JwcdyQM9mwC
Without a proper airlock, the brewing vessel is either going to build up pressure and pop, or it's going to let in all sorts of things from the air, and would be about as safe as any attempt to drink grape juice that's been sitting out on the counter for a few weeks.
It's possible to brew this way, but it's almost guaranteed to end up poorly. There's a very high chance of it going bad, that is, of growing mold or other unwanted microbiotic visitors. You'll probably be able to see this happen.
Even if it doesn't work, the end result will most likely be one of the nastiest forms of wine you've ever had. It's not quite prison hooch, but it'll be close.
If you and your friends really want to try and get into brewing on the cheap, my suggestion is to start with an airlock and bung like these, find a gallon of apple juice or apple cider at the grocery store in a glass bottle with no preservatives (check the label), and drop in 1/4 of a packet of a brewing yeast like this one. It's a very beginner friendly (and kinda harsh) yeast that will survive mistreatment and bad conditions no problem. You put the yeast in the apple juice, you put a little water in the airlock, you put the airlock on the jug, and wait a month. You'll want to get a food safe hose to siphon out the brew when it's done, and you'll need bottles to age it in (the stuff will taste bad at first but give it 5-8 months and you'll have somethign wonderful). When the brew finishes that first month, fill up the bottles and seal them, then keep them somewhere cool for 5-8 months. Note: you'll need clean glass bottles, and you'll want to sanitize them or else any bugs in there will make the brew go bad while it ages. I like swing top bottles, they don't require a capper machine or a supply of caps.
Total cost to brew up a simple tasty cider, including all supplies:
Coming out to less than 50$ to get started, and most of that you won't have to buy again for later brews. If you find a local homebrewing shop you might be able to get these things cheaper... or not. At least you should be able to find them in single packs instead of amazon's bulk sets.
Twin Bubble Airlock and Carboy Bung (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YoH1ybJ7J48CT
The twin bubble makes it easier to see speed and can save your brew if it overflows.
I use these. Love them to death:http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-Airlock-Carboy-Bung/dp/B00A6TRKO4/
I know these fit 5 gallon glass carboys http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-Airlock-Carboy-Bung/dp/B00A6TRKO4 I don't really know about the other 2 questions