The beers of Iwakuni: Three Ring Brewing Co.'s Hi- Wire Twice as Nice Doppelbock

This is another from Hilgar's porchbomb. It is the Hi-Wire "twice as nice" Doppelbock by Three Ring Brewing Co. out of Ashville NC. They advertise themselves as "Hi-Wire brewing" but the actual name of the company is Three Ring Brewing Co., possibly to avoid confusion with Three Rings Brewery out of McPherson Kansas. The brewery was started (in 2013, from what evidence I could gather) with the Idea of producing easy drinking, approachable versions of traditional beer styles for the average Joe who wants to have a couple of brews with his friends but doesn't want to resort to frat boy barley water. For such a new brewery, they have a myriad of beers under their belt, with four year round brews and eight seasonal, and over thirty others. The Twice as Nice is one of their Lager seasonals.

I received this in a 12 oz standard longneck bottle with blue crimpcap featuring a silhouette on a high wire and the label art featuring a classic sideshow "Siamese twins". According to the description "Doppelbock black lager. Inspired by a traditional German doppelbock, Twice as Nice is a robust dark lager. Despite its full flavor and high alcohol, this beer was lagered for more than 8 weeks to make it light on the palate and incredibly smooth. Expect Vienna and Munich malt to contribute subtle flavors of fig, plum and chocolate to this big yet easy-drinking beer". According to the Hi-wire website this beer is 20 IBUs  and is a 28 on the SRM color scale. The website also says it uses Hallertau Tradition hopps which is an aromatic hopp created in 1989 by cross breeding Hallertau Mittelfrüher, Hallertauer Gold, and Saaz hopps to create a more fungus and blight resistant version while maintaining the light characteristics favored in most German beers. I haven't had a good Dopplebock in a hot minute, makes me nostalgic for the days when PX on Futenma had stocked way more Hacker-Pschor Habertous bock then they could sell so they marked the price down to something like "buy one for $2 and get three free". I miss those days. I'll be using my lager glass for this one "as is appropriate".

Nose from the bottle is thick coffee and chocolate. Color is a deep black and caramel with a light beige head. Nose from the glass has dropped most of the coffee and gained a fruity scent on top of the chocolate. On first sip, It begins fruity, then goes to a coffee chocolate mix, then goes to a dark chocolate finish and has a figgy aftertaste. It is a full body, just slightly chewey, and has a low acidity. I suppose there is also a bready quality to it, but it's not really pronounced.

I'm trying to apply to AMU (American Military University) to start in their Entrepreneurship program. Hopefully I can transfer to Clemson after I get out and live off the GI bill for a while. I know from experience that I can't study and work at the same time. To those who can pull that kind of thing off, more power to you, but I'm not one of those. The first time I tried college, I really didn't know what I wanted, I just did whatever was put in front of me. I didn't own it, it wasn't what I wanted, it was what other people wanted, and so I failed because I didn't care. Entrepreneurship is something I want for myself. I want to be self employed and own multiple businesses, just like the guys I smoke cigars with. That is my ultimate goal, to always have be occupied and to be able to do things in my own idiosyncratic way. I've learned a couple of things in my attempts to test the business waters, and one of the biggest is not to rely on friends and family for anything business related, or rather, don't rely on anyone who does not have a financial interest in doing things for you and for whom failure puts them at some sort of risk. As much as it makes me angry when my brother doesn't SHIP MY GOAT HEAD! I'm not going to disown him, our relationship is not based on the utility we have for one another. But that is kind of the way you have to be in a business, you have them around to complete the tasks you need completed, and you are there (as far as they are concerned) to pay them for completing those tasks. Another thing I learned is something that also applies to Poker, if your hand sucks, don't try to play with it unless you are forced to, just fold and get another hand.

Final thoughts. I loved this beer. It was full of flavor, the ABV was perfect for that flavor, just a good beer all around. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.