I've always enjoyed the brews from Half Full Brewery . It is a steady, dependable Connecticut brewery. Their beers may not stand out or be among my top ten, but they are always straightforward, honest, enjoyable beers. I have found them to be accessible, easy to drink, crisp, clean, and if not memorable, never disappointing.

Refresh, their rotational pale ale, is no exception. While the Pale Ale is among their core beers, it is described as rotational, I believe, because they never quite brew it the same way each time. The hop varieties, etc vary from time to time.

The first thing you notice is the clear straw color, signalling a light bodied brew. Next you catch the slight pine and hoppy scents. There is a whiff of citrus in the initial aroma, but it is very faint.

Denoting the color and subtle aromas, the flavor is also more on the mellow side. You notice a slight prickly sensation as you begin to drink. There is a noticeable but not strong taste of hops with a touch of bitterness. Overall the sensation is lightness. This is a beer that is light in both body and flavor. I was not surprised to learn this pale ale comes in at 5% abv.

So what to make of Refresh pale ale? It is what I've come to expect from Half Full. A refreshing, honest brew. Easy to drink. A good session beer. Just not one that will likely stay with you.

I give Refresh rotational pale ale from Half Full Brewery 6 mugs out of 10. 

This is not how this beer looks after a night of drinking. Obviously poor lighting or an unsteady hand of the photographer. 
Because this beer was clearly superior.
This was an offering from the final (unfortunately) shipment from the Beer of the Month club I had received as a Father's Day gift. The gift subscription was for three months and October was the final one. 
This brew is a Pale Ale from the Tuckerman Brewing Company of New Hampshire. Tuckerman is in Conway, NH and has been in operation since 1998. They only produce about 8,000 barrels a year and their products currently are only available in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachussetts. Except of course through such venuse as the Beer of the Month club.
As you may recall I am a big fan of IPA's. As such I tend to be disappointed in Pale Ales which are less hoppy, and for my tastes less complex, less interesting and less tasty than IPA's. 
Well this is  a beer that could change my thinking. It is a nice golden color and really delicious. It has a tingle to it from the carbonation which apparently stems from the beer being conditioned in bottle with a little extra unfermented beer thrown in the mix right before bottling.
Whatever it is they do, it works. There is an impression of fruitiness, citrus notes I'd say, but it is not sweet or cloying. The beer is tasty and balanced. It goes down smooth. It is on the lighter side but not to the point of being uninteresting. 
I would certainly drink this beer again. And when I'm in the tri-state area of Massachussetts and southeastern New Hampshire and Maine I'll keep an eye out for this brew or any other offering from Tuckerman. 
I really enjoyed. 8 mugs out of 10 even for a Pale Ale!

You can check out Tuckerman Brewing at the embedded link. Their other offerings are two varieties of altbiers and a stout. If the Pale Ale is any indication it would be worth finding them. Maybe even worth a drive to Conway, New Hampshire.

How do you like that glass? It was a gift from an in-law and became one of my favorites. Gotta love that inverted bottle shape.