The Bermuda Brewing Company Ltd. may have been one of 2001's top ten local companies as featured in the spring edition of Bermudian Business magazine, but mystery surrounds whether the company has sunk to the bottom of the barrel in 2002 and pulled the plug on production.

A writ was filed in the Supreme Court on March 5 in the matter of Bermuda Brewing Co. Ltd and in the matter of the Companies Act 1981, but company president Jeff Payne would not comment on the brewery's business when contacted last week. Instead he referred all enquiries to attorney Mark Pettingill, a director of the company.

Mr. Pettingill did not return numerous calls made by The Royal Gazette in the past week.

Brothers Roger and Marcus Betschart, who are investors in the venture and also involved in the day-to-day running of the company, also could not be contacted for comment.

The writ in the Supreme Court listed Conyers Dill & Pearman (CD&P) as attorney for the company, but attorney Ray Desilva at CD&P did not return calls made by The Royal Gazette yesterday.

A spokesman from Burrows Lightbourne, distributors for the brewery, also refused to comment on the company's future yesterday.

Phone calls to the company's facility on Industrial Park Road, Southampton went unanswered yesterday and last week and the company's brewing facility was closed yesterday when visited by The Royal Gazette.

Mr. Payne and the brewery are featured as part of the cover story of the Island's top ten businesses in the current issue of Bermudian Business, which were chosen by a panel representing local advertising, communications, public relations and insurance companies, as well as the Bank of Bermuda and the Bermuda Stock Exchange.

The company produced two local beers, Island Ale and Tempest Lager and tours of the facility were also offered to locals and visitors.

Mr. Payne told the magazine that the company's success was largely dependant on tourists and said the company planned to offer bottled beer in the future that would have to be bottled in the US as it would be too labour intensive and costly to do it locally.

Mr. Payne told Bermudian Business that he expected both beers to be very successful as bottled beers.

The company was also considering producing "house beers" for local establishments.

Bermuda Brewing company bought the failed Bermuda Triangle Brewery in 2000 and spent four months redesigning and updating the facilities to their specifications, which included installing air conditioning, and piping for a reverse osmosis water supply.

Bermuda Triangle Brewing Ltd., the Island's first brewery, started production in late 1994, and sold Wilde Hogge, Spinnaker, Full Moon Pale Ale and Hammerhead Stout during five years in business.

The 5,000 square foot microbrewery including the equipment was then bought by the Bermuda Brewing company which launched Island Ale in Bermuda's bars in August 2000.

Mr. Pettingill was part owner of Bermuda Triangle Brewing Ltd. before it closed.