Lord Hobo and Bananagrams join forces for Fruit Peddler brand

Game night just got a bit fruitier. Lord Hobo Brewing Co. and Bananagrams, Inc. have teamed up to create Fruit Peddler, a 6% ABV Fruity Pale Ale designed for fans of beer and word games alike. Fruit Peddler is the newest release in Lord Hobo’s rotating Collab Series. The beer blends passionfruit, mango, pineapple, and banana into a bright and tropical pale ale with a smooth finish. The can design and flavor profile reflect the spirit of Bananagrams, the iconic word tile game born in Rhode Island. The beer launches June 16 across Lord Hobo’s distribution network and taprooms. From the press release:

“Partnering with Lord Hobo has been a blast,” said Rena Nathanson, CEO & Co-Inventor, Bananagrams, Inc.. “We’re always looking for unexpected, joyful ways to connect with our fans, and Fruit Peddler is exactly that: fun, flavorful, and made to be shared. And it’s particularly poignant for us as my grandfather was a fruit peddler!”

Launch event on June 26

To mark the release, Lord Hobo will host a Bananagrams Takeover Party on June 26 at its Woburn Taproom from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will include:

A Bananagrams tournament with prizes
Specialty games like Word-A-Melon and Pairs in Pears
Giveaways and exclusive merch
Fruit Peddler available on tap and in cans

This collab marks a lighthearted but savvy partnership between two regional brands with strong local roots and national reach. From the press release:

“Our Collab Series is all about local connections and bold ideas, and this one checks every box,” said Aubree Karls, Director of Marketing at Lord Hobo Brewing Co. “Bananagrams is a beloved Rhode Island-born game that brings people together, just like good beer. They’ve(It’s?)been an amazing partnership, and we’re excited to bring this collaboration to life this June.”

A quick recap: Lord Hobo + Lone Pine merger

Lord Hobo Brewing Company and Lone Pine Brewing Company merging

Fruit Peddler comes at a time of major change for Lord Hobo. In late 2024, the Massachusetts brewery announced a merger with Lone Pine Brewing Co., a fast-growing Maine operation known for beers like Oh-J Double IPA. The combined company aims to boost brand building, expand regional distribution, and streamline operations across New England. The deal brings together:

Lord Hobo Brewing: Founded in 2015, once one of the fastest-growing breweries in the U.S., known for flagship IPA Boomsauce.
Lone Pine Brewing: Founded in 2016, one of Maine’s largest craft brewers with expansion into vodka and wide U.S. distribution.

Why they joined

Both breweries saw the need to scale in a tough post-pandemic market. Lord Hobo had overbuilt and underperformed in recent years, with barrelage falling from 30,000 in 2020 to 17,000 by 2023. Lone Pine brings momentum, while Lord Hobo offers infrastructure and name recognition.

Lord Hobo Brewing today

Lone Pine and Lord Hobo Brewing beer cans all lined up

Lord Hobo operates a production brewery and taproom in Woburn, Massachusetts, and a second location in Boston’s Seaport. Its brewhouse includes a 40-barrel system for core brands and a 10-barrel system for experimental beers. With a capacity of 240,000 barrels, Lord Hobo has the space to scale. Flagship beers include: