Forgotten American 'cure-all' from 1903 makes comeback with one key ingredient missing
A forgotten American elixir once marketed as a "cure-all" more than a century ago has gotten a second life — all due to a chance discovery in Florida.
Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.
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.
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Intrigued, Colucci called his longtime colleague, Paul Massey, and the two began digging into the forgotten drink's past.
What they discovered was a colorful chapter of American history.
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.
The original concoction contained fermented papaya and alcohol — along with a surprising ingredient, according to the founders.
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"There was actually THC in the original formulation as well," Massey told Fox News Digital.
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.
They even sampled it.
"Wasn't exactly still fresh, to say the least," Colucci recalled.
Determined to revive the historic brand, the entrepreneurs worked with a Miami craft distiller to develop a modern version inspired by the original, minus the THC.
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Launched in 2023, today's Munyon's Paw-Paw is a 20% alcohol-by-volume apéritif featuring 14 natural ingredients, including papaya, orange, grapefruit and hibiscus — botanicals the founders say were once grown on Munyon's island.
Even the bottle pays tribute to the past.
"When we saw the original bottle, we thought, 'Man, we could just run with that,'" Colucci said.
"So, ours is a replica. That package almost tells the story."
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For the founders, resurrecting Munyon's Paw-Paw is about more than bringing another alcoholic beverage to market.
It's about preserving a forgotten piece of American ingenuity at a time when nostalgia and old-fashioned brands continue to capture consumers' attention, they say.
"Americans just want to hear a great piece of U.S. history, and we're bringing that back with our product," Massey said.
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Although the original was sold as medicine, the modern version has a decidedly more recreational purpose.
The founders suggest enjoying it in a Palm Beach Spritz, made with equal parts Munyon's Paw-Paw, prosecco and grapefruit soda.