Jupiter, Florida, resident Joe Colucci was visiting John D. MacArthur Beach State Park in Palm Beach County when he spotted an antique bottle from 1903 in a display about Dr. James Munyon, a businessman who once owned a nearby island.<\/p>\n
GEORGE WASHINGTON’S 1757 BEER RECIPE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE<\/a><\/p>\n Intrigued, Colucci called his longtime colleague, Paul Massey, and the two began digging into the forgotten drink’s<\/a> past.<\/p>\n What they discovered was a colorful chapter of American history.<\/p>\n Joe Colucci first learned about the original Munyon’s Paw-Paw, a cure-all created by Dr. James Munyon, during a visit to a state park. (Historical Society of Palm Beach County)<\/p>\n Munyon, an entrepreneur who built a fortune selling homeopathic remedies around the turn of the 20th century, marketed his Paw-Paw elixir as a medicinal cure-all.<\/p>\n The original concoction contained fermented papaya and alcohol<\/a> \u2014 along with a surprising ingredient, according to the founders.<\/p>\n COCA-COLA QUIETLY AXED ONE REAGAN-ERA DRINK THAT DISAPPEARED FROM STORE SHELVES<\/a><\/p>\n “There was actually THC in the original formulation as well,” Massey told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n The pair traveled to Pennsylvania to meet with a historian researching Munyon’s life and eventually obtained an original bottle containing some of the century-old liquid.<\/p>\n They even sampled it.<\/p>\n Munyon was a doctor who created his own elixir to help heal area residents. (Historical Society of Palm Beach County)<\/p>\n “Wasn’t exactly still fresh, to say the least,” Colucci recalled.<\/p>\n Determined to revive the historic brand<\/a>, the entrepreneurs worked with a Miami craft distiller to develop a modern version inspired by the original, minus the THC.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n Launched in 2023, today’s Munyon’s Paw-Paw is a 20% alcohol-by-volume ap\u00e9ritif<\/a> featuring 14 natural ingredients, including papaya, orange, grapefruit and hibiscus \u2014 botanicals the founders say were once grown on Munyon’s island.<\/p>\n Even the bottle pays tribute to the past.<\/p>\n Munyon’s Paw-Paw (not pictured) is an ap\u00e9ritif made with ingredients grown on the doctor’s island. (iStock)<\/p>\n “When we saw the original bottle, we thought, ‘Man, we could just run with that,'” Colucci said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “So, ours is a replica. That package almost tells the story.”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n For the founders, resurrecting Munyon’s Paw-Paw is about more than bringing another alcoholic beverage to market.\u00a0<\/p>\n It’s about preserving a forgotten piece of American ingenuity at a time when nostalgia and old-fashioned brands<\/a> continue to capture consumers’ attention, they say.<\/p>\n Munyon’s homeopathic remedies were the precursor to the modern day Munyon’s Paw-Paw.\u00a0 (Historical Society of Palm Beach County)<\/p>\n “Americans just want to hear a great piece of U.S. history<\/a>, and we’re bringing that back with our product,” Massey said.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/munyons-paw-paw-classic-split.jpg\")
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