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.

MadTree Citra High

It all began simply enough. Three friends - one a business analyst and the other two engineers by trade - making homebrew together. The hobby soon became an obsession, so the trio decided to formulate a business plan and gather investors.

After 18 months of blood, sweat and beers, MadTree Brewing was born in the heart of Cincinnati. Thanks to its growing popularity and an increase in production, MadTree was able to expand its distribution into the central Ohio market in December of last year. MadTree's latest beer to hit local shelves is their Citra High, an imperial IPA brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops.

Citra High pours a clear amber in color with a white head and considerable lacing. Aromas of passionfruit, peach and sweet citrus blend harmoniously with toasty malt notes. Hints of spruce meld with the bright, fruity flavors of tangerine, papaya and mango. The long, creamy finish is redolent of juicy tropical fruits.

Though it masks its alcohol quite well, keep in mind that Citra High 10.2% alcohol by volume. It would be a perfect compliment to fare like prosciutto, a sharp English cheddar or a scoop of salted caramel ice cream.

Citra High is a limited-release and is currently available in 4-packs for $11.99. It is distributed locally by Cavalier Distributing.

Great Lakes Alberta Clipper

At one time, Cleveland was one of the most-important beer cities in the United States. Unfortunately like many cities, Cleveland's breweries began closing because they could not compete with the national brands. In 1984, Cleveland's last brewery ceased production and shuttered its doors. Cleveland beer was seemingly gone for good. But on September 6th, 1988, Cleveland's rich brewing history began a new chapter with the opening of Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ohio's first craft brewery.

For almost three decades, Great Lakes Brewing Company has been consistently producing award-winning ales and lagers with no signs of them slowing down. Their newest offering is Alberta Clipper, a porter that is brewed with chocolate and raspberries.

Alberta Clipper pours an opaque dark taupe with a creamy tan head and fine lacing. On the nose, aromas of dulce de leche, dark cocoa and fresh raspberry jam blend seamlessly. The predominate flavors are of roasted malt, coffee and caramel combined with decadent notes of bramble fruits on the clean finish. The bitterness on the finish cleanses the palate from the slightly sweet flavors provided by the chocolate and raspberries.

Some potential food pairings are barbecued ribs, Brie fondue or dark chocolate truffles.

Alberta Clipper is a seasonal-release that is currently available in 4-packs, which retail for $9.99. Locally, it is distributed by Glazer's Distributors.