Australian Independent Brewers (AIB) managing director, Damian Silk, has denied that embattled brewer Barons Brewing is in debt to his company saying it was ‘business as usual’.

Barons Brewing is one of AIB’s biggest clients and the independent brewer, which does not market any products of its own, brews the beer for most of Baron’s brands.

Sources have suggested to TheShout that Barons Brewing is presently in significant debt to AIB but Silk said this was not the case.

However he conceded that the relationship between the two companies would need to be revisited once Baron’s two new directors had established a future path for the brewer and its umbrella structure of companies.

According to the AIB website, founders Graham and Damian Silk have owned and operated hotels and bars in Australia for over 20 years and have ‘some of the best contacts in the hotel and brewing game’.

Silk did not want to comment specifically on Barons Brewing Trading Company going into voluntary administration earlier this month.

According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) register of company and business names, several companies are listed with versions of the Barons Brewing name.

The regulator says Barons Brewing Pty Ltd, Barons Brewing Licensing Pty Ltd, Barons Brewing JV Pty Ltd, Barons Brewing Australia Pty Ltd and Barons Brewing (USA) Pty Ltd are all still active companies registered to its Woollahra, NSW office.

Barons Brewing Company Pty Ltd deregistered in 2006 while Barons Brewing Trading Company Pty Ltd is under external administration.

To comment directly and confidentially to the editor, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

http://www.theshout.com.au/2010/07/14/article/AIB-Barons-claim-Business-as-Usual/MBXRRPTALA.html