[NOTE:  "XXXXXXX" denotes expurgated information]
                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

                          REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT


         THIS REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT (this  "Agreement"),  dated as of May
2, 1997,  is  entered  into by and  between  THE UB GROUP  ("The UB Group")  and
MENDOCINO BREWING COMPANY, INC. ("MBC").


                                    RECITALS

         A. The UB Group and MBC are parties to that  certain  Letter of Intent,
dated as of the date hereof  (the  "Letter of  Intent"),  pursuant to which they
have set out their  intentions  with respect to a proposed  series of two linked
transactions. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have
the meanings set forth in the Letter of Intent.

         B. It is a condition  to the  execution  by The UB Group and MBC of the
Letter of Intent that The UB Group shall have paid to MBC a  refundable  deposit
in the amount of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND  DOLLARS  ($250,000) (the "Deposit")
as contemplated pursuant to Section F.7. of the Letter of Intent.

         C. The UB Group and MBC wish to set forth their  agreement  relating to
the Deposit.


                                    AGREEMENT

         NOW, THEREFORE, The UB Group and MBC hereby agree as follows:

                  1.  Concurrently  with the  execution  and  delivery by The UB
Group  and MBC of the  Letter of  Intent,  The UB Group  hereby  pays to MBC the
Deposit.

                  2. MBC hereby  accepts  The UB Group's  deposit of the Deposit
and agrees that the Deposit shall be used by MBC in accordance  with the Section
F.7. of the Letter of Intent.

                  3. The  Deposit  is  secured  by a  pledge  to The UB Group by
Michael  Laybourn and Norman Frank  (collectively,  the  "Shareholders")  of the
"Collateral",  as defined in, and pursuant to the terms of, those certain Pledge
Agreements,  each dated as of the date hereof,  executed by the  Shareholders in
favor of The UB Group (collectively, the "Pledge Agreements").

                  4. In order to induce The UB Group to pay the  Deposit to MBC,
MBC hereby represents and warrants to The UB Group as follows:

                  (a) MBC (i) is a corporation duly organized,  validly existing
         and in good standing under the laws of its state of  incorporation  and
         (ii)  has the  power  and  authority  to own,  lease  and  operate  its
         properties and carry on its business as now conducted;

                  (b) MBC has full  capacity to execute  and  deliver  both this
         Agreement  and the Letter of Intent and no further  action is necessary
         on the part of MBC to make  this  Agreement  or the  Letter  of  Intent
         legal,  valid and binding upon MBC and  enforceable in accordance  with
         its terms;

                                       1



                  (c) The execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the Letter of Intent by MBC does not conflict with, violate, result
         in a breach  of, or cause a  default,  either  immediately  or with the
         passage  of time  or the  giving  of  notice  or  both,  under  (i) any
         provision of federal,  state or local law or regulation relating to MBC
         or MBC's assets,  (ii) any provision of any order,  arbitration  award,
         judgment  or decree to which MBC or any  portion  of MBC's  assets  are
         subject,  (iii) any provision of any note,  bond,  indenture,  license,
         lease, mortgage, agreement or instrument to which MBC or any portion of
         MBC's assets are subject,  or (iv) any other restriction of any kind or
         character to which MBC or any portion of MBC's assets are subject;

                  (d) The execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the  Letter of  Intent  will not  result  in  giving to others  any
         interest or rights,  including  rights of termination,  acceleration or
         cancellation,  in or with respect to any of the properties,  contracts,
         leases, mortgages,  commitments or other agreements of MBC, nor are any
         consents, approvals or authorizations of, or declarations to or filings
         with, any governmental  authorities  required in connection herewith or
         therewith; and

                  (e) The Annual  Report on Form  10-KSB/A  No. 1 for the fiscal
         year ending December 31, 1996 does not contain any untrue  statement of
         material fact or omits to state a material fact  necessary to make such
         representation   and  warranty  or  any  such  statement   therein  not
         misleading.

MBC understands and acknowledges  that The UB Group is paying the Deposit to MBC
in reliance on the representations and warranties of MBC set forth herein.

                  5. At the Closing,  the Deposit shall be credited  against xxx
xxxxxxxx xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxxxx.

                  6. In the event the  negotiations  between  the  parties  with
respect to the  consummation of the transactions set out in the Letter of Intent
are terminated by either party for any reason other than as provided below,  the
Deposit  shall be returned by MBC to The UB Group  within  sixty (60) days after
such  termination  (such sixty (60) day period to be hereinafter  referred to as
the  "Repayment  Period").  In addition,  if a "Refund Event" (as defined below)
occurs,  the Deposit shall be immediately due and payable by MBC to The UB Group
without  presentment,  demand,  protest or any other notice of any kind,  all of
which are  expressly  waived by MBC. A Refund Event shall occur if (a) MBC fails
to observe or perform any covenant, obligation, condition or agreement contained
in this Agreement or Sections F.1, H, I, J and K of the Letter of Intent, or any
representation  or warranty  made or furnished by MBC in or in  connection  with
this  Agreement or the Letter of Intent shall be  materially  false,  incorrect,
incomplete  or misleading  in any material  respect when made or furnished;  (b)
either  Shareholder  fails to  observe  or  perform  any  covenant,  obligation,
condition or agreement contained in the Pledge Agreements, or any representation
or warranty  made by either  Shareholder  in Section 3 of the Pledge  Agreements
shall be materially false,  incorrect,  incomplete or misleading in any material
respect  when made or  furnished;  (c) MBC makes a  general  assignment  for the
benefit  of  creditors  or  admits in  writing  its  inability  to pay its debts
generally as they become due, any  voluntary  petition is filed by MBC under the
federal or similar state  bankruptcy  laws, or MBC consents to the filing of any
such  petition or  consents to the  appointment  of a  receiver,  liquidator  or
trustee in bankruptcy;  (d) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or
decree  under  the  federal  or any  similar  state  bankruptcy  law (i) for the
appointment  of a receiver,  liquidator,  trustee or assignee in  bankruptcy  or
insolvency of MBC of all or  substantially  all of its assets or for the winding
up or  liquidation  of its  affairs,  or (ii)  adjudicating  MBC a  bankrupt  or
insolvent  or  approving  a  petition  seeking  reorganization

                                       2



of MBC under any  bankruptcy  law,  and in any event  such  order or decree  has
continued in force undischarged and unstayed for a period of sixty (60) days; or
(e) either Shareholder shall contest the enforceability of his respective Pledge
Agreement,  or assert that his respective  Pledge  Agreement does not constitute
the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Shareholder  enforceable against
him in accordance with its terms.

                  7.       Miscellaneous.

                  (a) All notices, requests, demands, consents,  instructions or
         other  communications  to or  upon  MBC  or  The UB  Group  under  this
         Agreement  shall be in writing and faxed,  mailed or  delivered  at its
         respective  facsimile  number or  address  set forth  below (or to such
         other facsimile  number or address for either party as indicated in any
         notice  given by that party to the other  party).  All such notices and
         communications  shall be effective (i) when sent by Federal  Express or
         other  overnight  service  of  recognized  standing,  on the second day
         following the deposit with such service;  (ii) when mailed, first class
         postage  prepaid and  addressed as aforesaid  through the United States
         Postal  Service,  upon  receipt;  (iii) when  delivered  by hand,  upon
         delivery; and (iv) when faxed, upon confirmation of receipt.

         The UB Group:              THE UB GROUP
                                    One Harbor Drive, Suite 102
                                    Sausalito, California  94965
                                    Attn:  Vijay Mallya
                                    Telephone:  (415) 289-1400
                                    Facsimile:  (415) 289-1409

                  MBC:              MENDOCINO BREWING COMPANY, INC.
                                    13351 South Highway 101
                                    Hopland, CA  95449
                                    Telephone:  (707) 744-1015
                                    Facsimile:  (707) 744-1910

                  (b) MBC shall pay on demand all reasonable  fees and expenses,
         including reasonable  attorneys' fees and expenses,  incurred by The UB
         Group  in  the  enforcement  or  the  attempted   enforcement  of  this
         Agreement,  the Pledge Agreements or any of MBC's obligations hereunder
         not performed when due (including,  without  limitation,  all such fees
         and expenses  incurred in  connection  with any refund demand made with
         respect to the occurrence of any Refund Event.

                  (c) This Agreement may not be amended or modified, nor may any
         of its terms be waived, except by written instruments signed by MBC and
         The UB Group.  Each waiver or consent under any provision  hereof shall
         be effective  only in the specific  instances for the purpose for which
         given.

                  (d) This  Agreement  shall be  governed  by and  construed  in
         accordance with the laws of the State of California  without  reference
         to conflicts of law rules.

                                       3




                  IN  WITNESS   WHEREOF,   the  undersigned  have  executed  and
delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

                                            THE UB GROUP



                                            /s/ Vijay Mallya
                                            ---------------------------
                                            Vijay Mallya
                                            Chairman


                                            MENDOCINO BREWING COMPANY, INC.



                                            /s/ Michael Laybourn
                                            ---------------------------
                                            Michael Laybourn
                                            President

                                       4