Returning seasonal beverage brings the University’s pawpaw expertise to a growing audience

For a second summer, Pawpaw Ale-8 will quench the thirst of consumers eager to experience the tropical character of the largest edible fruit native to the United States.

Developed in collaboration with Kentucky State University researchers, the limited-edition beverage pairs Ale-8-One’s signature ginger and citrus flavor with pawpaw. Its return to stores this week promises to introduce more consumers to this unique fruit and highlight University research that has expanded knowledge of pawpaw’s cultivation, genetics, shelf life, and potential uses.

“Last year’s response demonstrated that consumers are eager to discover pawpaw when it is introduced through an approachable, high-quality product,” said Dr. Kirk W. Pomper, professor of horticulture and longtime leader of Kentucky State’s Pawpaw Research Program.

“Seeing Pawpaw Ale-8 return is exciting because it will allow even more people to experience a fruit Kentucky State has spent decades studying and helping move toward commercial production,” Pomper added.

Often called the “Kentucky banana,” pawpaw has a distinctive flavor commonly compared with a blend of banana, mango, and pineapple. The fruit grows naturally across much of the eastern United States, including Kentucky.

Kentucky State began formal pawpaw research in 1990 and has maintained a Clonal Germplasm Repository for pawpaw since 1994. More than 2,000 trees representing material collected from 17 states grow on 12 acres at the University’s Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm.

Researchers study propagation, orchard management, regional variety performance, fruit ripening, storage, genetic diversity, and commercialization. Kentucky State has also released several named cultivars, most recently KSU-Dunnigan and KSU-Pomper’s Choice in September 2025.

That expertise helped inform the development of Pawpaw Ale-8, made with real sugar and natural flavors and containing no dyes. The seasonal beverage returns during Ale-8-One’s centennial year and will be celebrated during Ale-8-One Day on Aug. 1 in downtown Winchester.

Pawpaw Ale-8 will remain visible through the heart of pawpaw season through planned partnerships with pawpaw festivals in Ohio, Indiana, and Louisville. It will also be featured at Kentucky State University’s Two-Day Pawpaw Workshop, scheduled for Sept. 16-17, and the fourth annual Ag Roundup, scheduled for Sept. 24-26.

Those appearances will allow consumers to connect the finished beverage with the research, cultivation, grower education, and product development that have helped bring pawpaw to a broader market.

“Pawpaw Ale-8 shows what can happen when long-term research, Kentucky agriculture, and an iconic Kentucky business come together around a promising idea,” said Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of Land Grant Programs. “Its return, expanded distribution, and new festival partnerships demonstrate both the commercial potential of pawpaw and the growing reach of Kentucky State’s work.”

Beyond this collaboration, businesses are exploring pawpaw’s potential in distilled spirits, wine, beer, desserts, preserves, and other value-added products, creating new possibilities for growers and producers.

Learn more about pawpaw research, cultivation, varieties, recipes, and resources at Kentucky State University.

Visit Ale-8-One or follow @ale8one on social media for product availability.