Returning seasonal beverage brings the University鈥檚 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 网曝吃瓜 researchers, the limited-edition beverage pairs Ale-8-One鈥檚 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鈥檚 cultivation, genetics, shelf life, and potential uses.
鈥淟ast year鈥檚 response demonstrated that consumers are eager to discover pawpaw when
it is introduced through an approachable, high-quality product,鈥� said Dr. Kirk W.
Pomper, professor of horticulture and longtime leader of 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 Pawpaw Research
Program.
鈥淪eeing Pawpaw Ale-8 return is exciting because it will allow even more people to experience a fruit 网曝吃瓜 has spent decades studying and helping move toward commercial production,鈥� Pomper added.
Often called the 鈥淜entucky banana,鈥� 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.
网曝吃瓜 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鈥檚 Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm.
Researchers study propagation, orchard management, regional variety performance, fruit ripening, storage, genetic diversity, and commercialization. 网曝吃瓜 has also released several named cultivars, most recently KSU-Dunnigan and KSU-Pomper鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 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.
鈥淧awpaw Ale-8 shows what can happen when long-term research, Kentucky agriculture, and an iconic Kentucky business come together around a promising idea,鈥� said Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of Land Grant Programs. 鈥淚ts return, expanded distribution, and new festival partnerships demonstrate both the commercial potential of pawpaw and the growing reach of Kentucky State鈥檚 work.鈥�
Beyond this collaboration, businesses are exploring pawpaw鈥檚 potential in distilled spirits, wine, beer, desserts, preserves, and other value-added products, creating new possibilities for growers and producers.
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Visit or follow @ale8one on social media for product availability.