Jackie O's PawPaw Wheat

The prairie banana, the banango and Asimina triloba. What do these three things have in common? All are euphemisms for the official native state fruit of Ohio - the pawpaw. In fact, the pawpaw is so celebrated, Athens County has hosted the Ohio Pawpaw Festival annually since 1999.

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery, also located in Athens County, decided to create a brew using this native fruit. The result is their PawPaw Wheat, an imperial wheat ale.

It pours a light amber in color with a fizzy white head. The aroma has notes of fresh-baked biscuits and Juicyfruit gum. On the palate, flavors of papaya, plantain, mango and a whiff of clove playfully mingle together. The tropical stonefruit notes on the finish lead into hints of of sweet malt with a slightly delayed peppery heat from the alcohol. At 9 percent alcohol, this is far from being a sessionable beer.

The PawPaw Wheat would be an excellent match for glazed honey ham or peach cobbler.

It is currently available in 12.7 ounce bottles, which retail for $5.99 each. Locally, it is distributed by Cavalier Distributing.