No I no longer use my mr beer keg only because there to small, if i'm going to go to the work of brewing its going to be atleast 5 gal.
It's not the work. It's the five weeks waiting... 5 gallons is more than I can drink. Although 18 beers is a little small for that much work.
The "for that much work you can brew fifty beers" argument doesn't really do it. After all, have you ever heard anyone argue "why cook a standing rib roast for eight when for the same amount of work you can cook one for twenty"? And it's not really true. Five gallons of all-grain is a *completely* different kettle of fish that 2-gallons all-grain and bottling 18 bottles is unpleasant. Bottling 50 is a nightmare.
You could use any container to bottle especialy if you shipon but why not get a food grade bucket and a spigot for a couple bucks, drill a hole in it and mount the spigot.
*IF* I go to give gallons then I probably will do that. I'm just thinking the as long as I'm still in 2-gallons I have plenty of stuff that holds two gallons and for storage and convenience that I'd rather *not* dedicate one piece of equipment to it.
You mentioned a pipe line, I don't know your situation but did you ever consider doing 5 gal batches?
Not yet. Right now my problem is I want to try many many different batches in small amounts all at once.
Once I get over the novelty of this and get more realistic timing and goals and get out of the o-mi-gawd-this-is-awesome newbie zone, Maybe I'll settle into 5 gallon batches once a month or so. Or maybe I'll drop the whole thing.
For whatever reasons for my life and for my stage right now, its two gallon batches. That's how it is now. Later... we'll see.
You could get a 6.5 gal fermenter, 6.5 gal bottling bucket, auto shipon, bottling wand and a kit extract kit for about (or under)100 bucks at moorebeer with there free shipping
Well, I have a local home brew shop (and if the Concord Showroom of More Beer is still open More Beer is local) where I can get a bottling wand for $4.95 (I think) and I think I can get an autosiphon for about $13 (although the one I saw looked mamoth). I'll keep my eye open for carboys but I figure I'll my one when I feel I need one.
If MoreBeer in Concord still exists (the web page proudly shows testimonials from 2010 and photos from a great social event they held in 2009) I might find myself going there a lot. My LHBS doesn't seem to have the greatest supply of hops.