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                               FIRST AMENDMENT TO
                        PREFERRED SHARES RIGHTS AGREEMENT

        This First Amendment to Preferred Shares Rights Agreement (this
"Amendment") is made as of May 22, 1998 by and between Pete's Brewing Company, a
California corporation (the "Company"), and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., a
national banking association (the "Rights Agent").

        WHEREAS, the Company and American Stock Transfer and Trust Company (the
"Former Agent") entered into a Preferred Shares Rights Agreement dated as of
November 25, 1996 (the "Agreement").

        WHEREAS, effective as of October 1, 1997, the Company discharged
American Stock Transfer and Trust Company as rights agent under the Agreement
and appointed the Rights Agent as the successor rights agent.

        WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger
dated as of May 22, 1998 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, the "Merger Agreement") among PBC Holdings, Inc. ("PBC Holdings"), PBC
Acquisition Corp. ("PBC Acquisition"), The Gambrinus Company and the Company.

        WHEREAS, Section 3.16 of the Merger Agreement provides that the Company
will amend the Agreement (defined below) within two Business Days (as defined in
the Merger Agreement) following the date of the Merger Agreement to (i) render
the Agreement inapplicable to the Merger (as defined in the Merger Agreement)
and the Merger Agreement, (ii) ensure that (y) none of PBC Holdings, PBC
Acquisition or any of their respective affiliates is an Acquiring Person (as
defined in the Agreement) pursuant to the Agreement solely by virtue of the
execution of the Merger Agreement and the consummation of the Merger and (z) a
Distribution Date or a Shares Acquisition Date (as such terms are defined in the
Agreement) does not occur by reason of the Merger, the execution of the Merger
Agreement or the consummation of the Merger and (iii) provide that the Final
Expiration Date (as defined in the Agreement) shall occur immediately prior to
the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), and such amendment will
not be further amended by the Company without the prior consent of PBC Holdings
in its sole discretion.

        WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 27 of the Agreement, this Amendment is
being executed by the Company and the Rights Agent for the purpose of amending
the Agreement as set forth below.

        NOW, THEREFORE, the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

        1.     Section 1(a) is amended by inserting the following at the end of
               Section 1(a):

               "Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision to the contrary
               in this Agreement, none of PBC Holdings, Inc. ("PBC Holdings"),
               PBC Acquisition Corp. ("PBC 

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               Acquisition"), their subsidiaries, Affiliates or Associates or
               permitted assignees or transferees under those certain
               Stockholder Agreements of even date herewith between PBC Holdings
               and certain stockholders of the Company (the "Voting Agreements")
               is an Acquiring Person pursuant to this Agreement solely by
               virtue of the execution of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated
               May 22, 1998 among PBC Holdings, PBC Acquisition, The Gambrinus
               Company and the Company (the "Merger Agreement") and the Voting
               Agreements or the consummation of the Merger (as defined in the
               Merger Agreement) or the other transactions contemplated by the
               Voting Agreements."

        2.     Section 1(h) is amended by inserting the following at the end of
               Section 1(h):

               "Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision to the contrary
               in this Agreement, a Distribution Date shall not occur solely by
               reason of the execution of the Merger Agreement and the Voting
               Agreements, the consummation of the Merger, or the consummation
               of the other transactions contemplated by Merger Agreement or the
               Voting Agreements."

        3.     Section 1(t) is amended by inserting the following at the end of
               Section 1(t):

               "Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision to the contrary
               in this Agreement, a Shares Acquisition Date shall not occur
               solely by reason of the execution of the Merger Agreement and the
               Voting Agreements, the consummation of the Merger, or the
               consummation of the other transactions contemplated by the Merger
               Agreement or the Voting Agreements."

        4.     Section 1(x) is amended by inserting the following at the end of
               Section 1(x):

               "Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision to the contrary
               in this Agreement, a Triggering Event shall not occur solely by
               reason of the execution of the Merger Agreement and the Voting
               Agreements, the consummation of the Merger, or the consummation
               of the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or
               the Voting Agreements."

        5.     Section 1(k) is amended and restated in its entirety to read as
               follows:

               "(k) 'FINAL EXPIRATION DATE' shall mean the earlier of (i)
               immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger
               Agreement) or (ii) October 22, 2006."

        6.     A new Section 35 is added to the end of the Agreement to read in 
               its entirety as follows:


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                "Section 35. Merger Agreement with PBC Holdings, PBC Acquisition
                Corp. and The Gambrinus Company. Neither the performance of the
                Merger Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions
                contemplated thereby will result in any separation of the Rights
                (as defined in the Agreement) from the underlying Common Shares
                of the Company, nor entitle or permit the holders of the Rights
                to exercise the Rights or otherwise affect the rights of the
                holders of Rights, including giving the holders of the Rights
                the right to acquire securities of any party to the Merger
                Agreement."

        7.      (a)   This Amendment shall be deemed to be entered into under
                      the laws of the State of California and for all purposes
                      shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
                      laws of such State applicable to contracts to be made and
                      performed entirely within such State.

               (b)    This Amendment may be executed in any number of
                      counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all
                      purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such
                      counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
                      same instrument.

        8.      As amended hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and
                effect.


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.


THE COMPANY:                               THE RIGHTS AGENT UNDER THE AGREEMENT:


PETE'S BREWING COMPANY                     NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A.

By: /s/ JEFFREY A. ATKINS                  By: /s/ TED GARRITY
    ---------------------------                ---------------------------------

Name: Jeffrey A. Atkins                    Name: Ted Garrity
      -------------------------                  -------------------------------
Title: Chief Executive Officer             Title: Trust Officer
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