Rogue - Chatoe Rogue First Growth Dirtoir black lager

Dan recommended this beer to me last year, and it took me a while to find it - Rogue Ales' 'Chatoe Rogue' First Growth Dirtoir black lager. This beer is a 6% ABV black lager that's part of Rogue's Chatoe Rogue series.

Chatoe Rogue is a special division of Rogue Ales that focuses on locally-grown ingredients - specifically, ingredients grown on Rogue's plantation. Chatoe Rogue is also Rogue's B&B.

As I understand it, after a hops shortage Rogue decided to buy some farmland and grow a lot of its own ingredients. This, of course, would presumably also be a benefit to Rogue as it would give the company a chance to have total control over the ingredients that go into their product. For your edification, "GYO" stands for "Grow Your Own."

The beer had a black pour, as expected. The thick pour produced dark foam - darker than most I have seen. Interesting.

The head subsided very quickly. There wasn't really any lacing.

The nose is very pleasant - very good mix of chocolate, nuts, and spices. The nose was very rich and frankly, I like that. It's a sensory experience and was definitely indicative of the taste to come.

The mouth is very chocolaty. It was smooth, deep, and delicious with lots of roast hops and chocolate / nut flavors. It reminded me a lot of Ministry of Beer's "Beer of Socialist Labor." Both beers featured a low-carbonation, deep-tasting, smoky brew with hints of toasted caramels and malts. However, unlike the Beer of Socialist Labor, the Dirtoir had an oddly thin taste. I understand that general black lagers have a thinner consistency that stouts, but for some reason I expected this beer to be a bit heartier. It was similar to Uinta's Baba black lager in terms of consistency. Nice taste, but oddly thin.

The aftertaste is one of dark chocolate and some of the burnt hops that I really don't like. The finish was a bit harsh with lots of burnt tastes.

In conclusion, this beer is OK. It's a bit thin but drinkable, enjoyable, and typical for a lager. While it wasn't the best of its type that I have had, it has depth - a dark sweetness that makes it very nice and paired with its consistency and taste - and could work very well for a session beer or even something to sip over dessert. I can imagine pairing chocolate eclairs with this beer. I wonder how it ages, and whether sitting it down for a year or so might do it some good.