Joe Colucci and Paul Massey have revived Munyon's Paw-Paw, an American alcoholic beverage originally marketed as a medicinal elixir in 1903. The modern iteration, launched in 2023, removes the tetrahydrocannabinol present in the century-old original formulation.
The revival began with a chance discovery in Palm Beach County, Florida. Colucci, a Jupiter resident, was visiting John D. MacArthur Beach State Park when he noticed a vintage bottle dated 1903. The artifact was part of an exhibit honoring Dr. James Munyon, the former owner of a nearby island. Intrigued by the find, Colucci contacted Massey, his longtime colleague in the spirits industry, and the two began investigating the drink's history.
Dr. James Munyon built a fortune selling homeopathic remedies around the turn of the 20th century. He marketed his Paw-Paw elixir as a "cure-all," a concoction that combined fermented papaya and alcohol. According to Massey, the original formulation also contained THC, an ingredient that has been omitted from the contemporary version.
To ensure historical accuracy, the pair traveled to Pennsylvania to meet with a historian researching Munyon's life. During this process, they obtained an original bottle containing some of the century-old liquid and sampled it. Colucci noted that the vintage liquid was "wasn't exactly still fresh, to say the least."
Working with a Miami craft distiller, the founders developed a modern apéritif inspired by the original recipe. The current Munyon's Paw-Paw is a 20% alcohol-by-volume beverage featuring 14 natural ingredients. These botanicals include papaya, orange, grapefruit, and hibiscus, which the founders say were once grown on Munyon's island. The product packaging is a replica of the 1903 bottle, a design choice Colucci said helps tell the brand's story.
The founders view the project as a way to preserve a forgotten piece of American ingenuity. Massey stated that Americans want to hear a great piece of U.S. history, and that the product brings that narrative back to market. While the original elixir was sold as medicine, the modern version is intended for recreational consumption. The founders suggest enjoying it in a Palm Beach Spritz, a cocktail made with equal parts Munyon's Paw-Paw, prosecco, and grapefruit soda.