Profile of Jon Baldwin
 

• Brewing since 2006
   
• I bought a homebrew equipment package at a garage sale for $20 and started brewing
   
• Reason for Brewing
   
• Initially I started because I wanted to replicate my favorate beer, Cherry Kriek, saving the hefty $5 per bottle I soon learned Homebrewing doesn't save you any money Why do I continue?  It became a series of mad passionate science experiments. In 2009, I've plateaued in my brewing, it seems I brew less and less as each month passes, partially due to the fact I drink very little of what I brew. I've threatened to quit brewing and maybe I have, although I still plan on fermenting country style wines. I am still growing cascade Hops and if you contact me in late august, I surely will get you some fresh Cascades if you ask. Speaking of sharing, I've accumulated way too many beer bottles in the last 5 years, if you are just starting out and need some bottles, I'll surely get some to you.
   
• Favorite Beers
   
• Belgium cherry kriek and other sour beers...as long as the weather is tropical
• hoppy IPA's
• sweet and malty Dopplebock's
• I prefer Ales over Lagers, many of my homebrew friends can't understand
   
• Beers Brewed... (mostly Ales, though I did one Lager)
   
• Malt barley beers of America and beyond
• Malt barley w/adjunct beers
• Wheat Beers
• Hoppy beers
• Ciders, Meades and Melomels
   
• Special Techniques
   
• I've devised a homebrewing format I call Kitchen Mash which is basically small batch all-grain brewing in the kitchen with kitchen equipment the advantage...equipment is very inexpensive, you probably already have everything.  the disadvantage...only small batches are possible (typically 3 gallons) for more info on that, see my post on our discussion forum Beer - Brewing Techniques - All-grain brewing in the Kitchen
   
• Final Thoughts, "Before I started brewing...
   
• I knew very little about beer"
• Except for a few craft beers I didn't really like beer"
• I didn't know what Hops were"
• I didn't really know what Malt was, I did know it was sweet and made milkshakes taste better"
• I was very much into Wine (the expensive type made from grapes)"
   
• Lastly, to tie it all together. Maybe I can't replicate my favorite brews as cheaply as I can buy them...if you can find them! But I can brew many great tasting alcoholic beverages much cheaper than the wine I use to drink....OK I still drink a little of that expensive wine!