Michigan Native Rebel at Ramshackle Brewing

The Paw Paw

Have you heard of the Paw Paw? Not the town in Michigan (which is a great little place), but the fruit? Perhaps you know it as the “Michigan Banana”. The Paw Paw is a native fruit tree in Michigan, as well as other parts of the Midwest. According to Perry Paw Paws, a fruit tree farm located in Perry, the fruit grows on small trees that prefer the well-drained soil in the eastern United States and Canada. Harvest takes place in the fall, when the paw paws are soft and yellow-brown. They have a custard texture and taste like a mix of banana, mango, and pineapple. The fruits have a very short shelf life, making it difficult to find them in stores.

Photo courtesy – Perry Paw Paws (perrypawpaws.com)

Sadly, I’ve yet to taste the actual fruit myself. However, we did get a chance to taste a beer made with paw paws at Ramshackle Brewing in Jonesville.

Michigan Native Rebel

It was a hazy and oddly warm Saturday afternoon in November as we made our way out to Jonesville for the Michigan Native Rebel paw paw beer release at Ramshackle. The beer gets its name from the fact that the paw paw is a native tree to Michigan, and the beer is made with over 100 pounds of fresh paw paw from Rebel Farms (Owosso).

According to head brewer and co-owner of Ramshackle Brewing, Zack Bigelow, the fresh paw paw is added during the boil. Later, during post-fermentation, another three gallons of paw paw puree from Nash Nurseries (Owosso) is added to the beer. The result is this golden beauty of a beer. This pale ale is smooth and seductive, with a hint of banana bread on the nose and a bit of fruit sweetness in the finish. Cascade hops lend a dash of crispness and balances the beer.

Ramshackle Brewing

We hung out, enjoying a couple of pints of the Michigan Native Rebel as well as the Punk Rock Squirrel. This West Coast IPA is bright and delicious. It is also a collaboration brew with Andrew Mack & Sons Brush company, makers of fine pinstripping and lettering brushes in Jonesville since 1891.

It has been a minute since we last stopped into Ramshackle, and we can share that the space is pretty much the same. The walls have a few new works of art, but the easy-going vibe and welcoming atmosphere remain. The beer continues to be inventive and delicious. As an added bonus, on Fridays, they feature coney dogs and brats. Stay tuned to their social media as they have something going on just about every night of the week with live music on the weekends.

Would you like to learn more about Ramshackle Brewing, their owners Zack and Jessie, and the amazing community space they have cultivated in Jonesville? Well, step right into our Life In Michigan podcast episode featuring Zack and Jessie. Ae even talked a bit about their wonderful paw paw beer.

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Michigan Native Rebel at Ramshackle Brewing

The Paw Paw