Hello from Portland, OR!

[JLynDub]

Howdy! First time brewer here and in the process of trying to become a professional brewer so I thought I should start small and work my way up!

I am in the process of acquiring everything I need to brew my first batch and feeling a little overwhelmed. I thought I just needed a pot and bucket…. butttt am quickly realizing there’s so much more! Any tips on a good place to start or a checklist of everything I need? Attempting to go the non-kit route and acquire through local pickups or stores.

Thanks!

 

[JohnSand]

Hello and welcome aboard!
The pot and bucket are essential. You can brew with little more than that. If you don't want to start with hopped extracts (the simplest) you can order pre-milled grain recipes. BIAB (Brew In A Bag) is a simple method, you can buy a bag, use paint strainer bags, or make your own. Study and practice will yield good results. I bought Palmer's book How to Brew and read it a couple of times. I also recommend his Brewing Classic Styles for recipes. While we all want to create our own recipes, it's best to start with proven ones and develop your own later.
Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[bracconiere]

I thought I just needed a pot and bucket

pretty much what i brew with, and a 10 gallon rubbermaid cooler, with a strainer screen & ball valve....

Welcome! And good luck! Brewing professionally is a lot of work!

edit: my brew rig....

 

[T Murph]

Welcome to the madness we call a hobby. You're in a great place for resources and HBT is a forum loaded with information from beginners to professionals. IMO if your end goal is to be a professional brewer you should get quality equipment from the start. And keep it small as five gallon batches are the standard most professional brewers use for recipe development. Research craigslist and other resale options for used equipment to get started. And remember, quality stainless steel vessels will last longer than your liver, so think about that when making purchases. Enjoy your journey and keep us posted along the way.