Exhibit 10.17

THIS WARRANT AND THE COMMON SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THIS WARRANT HAVE
NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE
STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THIS WARRANT AND THE COMMON SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE
OF THIS WARRANT MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED IN
THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AS TO THIS WARRANT UNDER SAID
ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY
SATISFACTORY TO FREDERICK BREWING CO. THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.

                                       Right to Purchase 20,000 Shares of Common
                                       Stock of Frederick Brewing Co. (subject
                                       to adjustment as provided herein)

                         COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

No. 4                                                       June 7, 1999

         FREDERICK BREWING CO., a corporation organized under the laws of the
State of Maryland (the "Company"), hereby certifies that, for value received,
RON WILLIAMS JR., or assigns, is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below,
to purchase from the Company after June 7, 1999 at any time or from time to time
before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on June 7, 2002 (the "Expiration Date"), up to
20,000 fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (as hereinafter
defined), $.00004 par value per share, of the Company, at a per share purchase
price of the lesser of $0.375 per share or 100% of the average closing bid price
of the Common Stock for the five trading days commencing with the first day the
Common Stock is relisted for reporting on the NASDAQ Bulletin Board, (such
purchase price per share as adjusted from time to time as herein provided is
referred to herein as the "Purchase Price"). The number and character of such
shares of Common Stock and the Purchase Price are subject to adjustment as
provided herein.

         As used herein the following terms, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the following respective meanings:

         (a) The term Company shall include Frederick Brewing Co. and any
corporation which shall succeed or assume the obligations of Frederick Brewing
Co. hereunder.

         (b) The term "Common Stock" includes (a) the Company's Common Stock,
$.00004 par value per share, as authorized on the date of the Agreement, (b) any
other capital stock of any class or classes (however designated) of the Company,
authorized on or after such date, the holders of which shall have the right,
without limitation as to amount, either to all or to a share of the balance of
current dividends and liquidating dividends after the payment of dividends and
distributions on any shares entitled to preference, and the holders of which
shall ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, be entitled to vote for the
election of a majority of directors of

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the Company (even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of
such a contingency) and (c) any other securities into which or for which any of
the securities described in (a) or (b) may be converted or exchanged pursuant to
a plan of recapitalization, reorganization, merger, sale of assets or otherwise.

         (c) The term "Other Securities" refers to any stock (other than Common
Stock) and other securities of the Company or any other person (corporate or
otherwise) which the holder of the Warrant at any time shall be entitled to
receive, or shall have received, on the exercise of the Warrant, in lieu of or
in addition to Common Stock, or which at any time shall be issuable or shall
have been issued in exchange for or in replacement of Common Stock or Other
Securities pursuant to Section 4 or otherwise.

         1. Exercise of Warrant.

             1.1. Number of Shares Issuable upon Exercise. From and after the
date hereof through and including the Expiration Date, the holder hereof shall
be entitled to receive, upon exercise of this Warrant in whole in accordance
with the terms of subsection 1.2 or upon exercise of this Warrant in part in
accordance with subsection 1.3, shares of Common Stock of the Company, subject
to adjustment pursuant to Section 4.

             1.2. Full Exercise. This Warrant may be exercised in full by the
holder hereof by surrender of this Warrant, with the form of subscription
attached as Exhibit A hereto (the Subscription Form") duly executed by such
holder, to the Company at its principal office or at the office of its Warrant
agent (as provided in Section 11), accompanied by payment, in cash or by
certified or official bank check payable to the order of the Company, in the
amount obtained by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock for which
this Warrant is then exercisable by the Purchase Price (as hereinafter defined)
then in effect.

             1.3. Partial Exercise. This Warrant may be exercised in part (but
not for a fractional share) by surrender of this Warrant in the manner and at
the place provided in subsection 1.2 except that the amount payable by the
holder on such partial exercise shall be the amount obtained by multiplying (a)
the number of shares of Common Stock designated by the holder in the
Subscription Form by (b) the Purchase Price then in effect. On any such partial
exercise, the Company, at its expense, will forthwith issue and deliver to or
upon the order of the holder hereof a new Warrant of like tenor, in the name of
the holder hereof or as such holder (upon payment by such holder of any
applicable transfer taxes), may request, the number of shares of Common Stock
for which such Warrant may still be exercised.

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<PAGE>

             1.4. Fair Market Value. Fair Market Value of a share of Common
Stock as of a particular date (the "Determination Date") shall mean the Fair
Market Value of a share of the Company's Common Stock. Fair Market Value of a
share of Common Stock as of a Determination Date shall mean:

                  (a) If the Company's Common Stock is traded on an exchange or
is quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation ("NASDAQ") National Market System or the NASDAQ SmallCap Market, then
the closing or last sale price, respectively, reported for the last business day
immediately preceding the Determination Date.

                  (b) If the Company's Common Stock is not traded on an exchange
or on the NASDAQ National Market System or the NASDAQ SmallCap market but is
traded in the over-the-counter market, then the mean of the closing bid and
asked prices reported for the last business day immediately preceding the
Determination Date.

                  (c) Except as provided in clause (d) below, if the Company's
Common Stock is not publicly traded, then as the Holder and the Company agree or
in the absence of agreement by arbitration in accordance with the rules then
standing of the American Arbitration Association, before a single arbitrator to
be chosen from a panel of persons qualified by education and training to pass on
the matter to be decided,

                  (d) If the Determination Date is the date of a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up, or any event deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution
or winding up pursuant to the Company's charter, then all amounts to be payable
per share to holders of the Common Stock pursuant to the charter in the event of
such liquidation, dissolution or winding up, plus all other amounts to be
payable per share in respect of the Common Stock in liquidation under the
charter, assuming for the purposes of this clause (d) that all of the shares of
Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of all of the Warrants are outstanding
at the Determination Date.

             1.5. Company Acknowledgment. The Company will, at the time of the
exercise of the Warrant, upon the request of the holder hereof acknowledge in
writing its continuing obligation to afford to such holder any rights to which
such holder shall continue to be entitled after such exercise in accordance with
the provisions of this Warrant. If the holder shall fail to make any such
request, such failure shall not affect the continuing obligation of the Company
to afford to such holder any such rights.

             1.6. Trustee for Warrant Holders. In the event that a bank or trust
company shall have been appointed as trustee for the holders of the Warrants
pursuant to Subsection 3.2, such bank or trust company shall have all the powers
and duties of a warrant agent appointed pursuant to Section 10 and shall accept,
in its own

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<PAGE>

name for the account of the Company or such successor person as may be entitled
thereto, all amounts otherwise payable to the Company or such successor, as the
case may be, on exercise of this Warrant pursuant to this Section 1.

         2. Delivery of Stock Certificates, etc. on Exercise. The Company agrees
that the shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of this Warrant shall be
deemed to be issued to the holder hereof as the record owner of such shares as
of the close of business on the date on which this Warrant shall have been
surrendered and payment made for such shares as aforesaid. As soon as
practicable after the exercise of this Warrant in full or in part, and in any
event within 10 days thereafter, the Company at its expense (including the
payment by it of any applicable issue taxes) will cause to be issued in the name
of and delivered to the holder hereof, or as such holder (upon payment by such
holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct in compliance with
applicable Securities Laws, a certificate or certificates for the number of duly
and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (or
Other Securities) to which such holder shall be entitled on such exercise, plus,
in lieu of any fractional share to which such holder would otherwise be
entitled, cash equal to such fraction multiplied by the then Fair Market Value
of one full share, together with any other stock or other securities and
property (including cash, where applicable) to which such holder is entitled
upon such exercise pursuant to Section 1 or otherwise.

         3. Adjustment for Reorganization, Consolidation, Merger, etc.

             3.1. Reorganization, Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case at any
time or from time to time, the Company shall (a) effect a reorganization (b)
consolidate with or merge into any other person, or (c) transfer all or
substantially all of its properties or assets to any other person under any plan
or arrangement contemplating the dissolution of the Company, then, in each such
case, as a condition to the consummation of such a transaction, proper and
adequate provision shall be made by the Company whereby the holder of this
Warrant, on the exercise hereof as provided in Section 1 at any time after the
consummation of such reorganization, consolidation or merger or the effective
date of such dissolution, as the case may be, shall receive, in lieu of the
Common Stock (or Other Securities) issuable on such exercise prior to such
consummation or such effective date, the stock and other securities and property
(including cash) to which such holder would have been entitled upon such
consummation or in connection with such dissolution, as the case may be, if such
holder had so exercised this Warrant, immediately prior thereto, all subject to
further adjustment thereafter as provided in Section 4.

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<PAGE>

             3.2. Dissolution. In the event of any dissolution of the Company
following the transfer of all or substantially all of its properties or assets,
the Company, prior to such dissolution, shall at its expense deliver or cause to
be delivered the stock and other securities and property (including cash, where
applicable) receivable by the holders of the Warrants after the effective date
of such dissolution pursuant to this Section 3 to a bank or trust company having
its principal office in New York, NY, as trustee for the holder or holders of
the Warrants.

             3.3. Continuation of Terms. Upon any reorganization, consolidation,
merger or transfer (and any dissolution following any transfer) referred to in
this Section 3.3, this Warrant shall continue in full force and effect and the
terms hereof shall be applicable to the shares of stock and other securities and
property receivable on the exercise of this Warrant after the consummation of
such reorganization, consolidation or merger or the effective date of
dissolution following any such transfer, as the case may be, and shall be
binding upon the issuer of any such stock or other securities, including, in the
case of any such transfer, the person acquiring all or substantially all of the
properties or assets of the Company, whether or not such person shall have
expressly assumed the terms of this Warrant as provided in Section 4. In the
event this Warrant does continue in full force and effect after the consummation
of the transaction described in this Section 3.3, then only in such event will
the Company's securities and property (including cash, where applicable)
receivable by the holders of the Warrants be delivered to the Trustee as
contemplated by Section 3.2.

         4. Extraordinary Events Regarding Common Stock. In the event that the
Company shall (a) issue additional shares of the Common Stock as a dividend or
other distribution on outstanding Common Stock, (b) subdivide its outstanding
shares of Common Stock, or (c) combine its outstanding shares of the Common
Stock into a smaller number of shares of the Common Stock, then, in each such
event, the Purchase Price shall, simultaneously with the happening of such
event, be adjusted by multiplying the then Purchase Price by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to such event and the denominator of which shall be the number
of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the
product so obtained shall thereafter be the Purchase Price then in effect. The
Purchase Price, as so adjusted, shall be readjusted in the same manner upon the
happening of any successive event or events described herein in this Section 4.
The number of shares of Common Stock that the holder of this Warrant shall
thereafter, on the exercise hereof as provided in Section 1, be entitled to
receive shall be increased to a number determined by multiplying the number of
shares of Common Stock that would otherwise (but for the provisions of this
Section 4) be issuable on such exercise by a fraction of which (a) the numerator
is the Purchase Price that

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<PAGE>

would otherwise (but for the provisions of this Section 4) be in effect, and (b)
the denominator is the Purchase Price in effect on the date of such exercise.

         5. Certificate as to Adjustments. In each case of any adjustment or
readjustment in the shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) issuable on the
exercise of the Warrants, the Company at its expense will promptly cause its
Chief Financial Officer or other appropriate designee to compute such adjustment
or readjustment in accordance with the terms of the Warrant and prepare a
certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail
the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based, including a
statement of (a) the consideration received or receivable by the Company for any
additional shares of Common Stock (or Other Securities) issued or sold or deemed
to have been issued or sold, (b) the number of shares of Common Stock (or Other
Securities) outstanding or deemed to be outstanding, and (c) the Purchase Price
and the number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon exercise of this
Warrant, in effect immediately prior to such adjustment or readjustment and as
adjusted or readjusted as provided in this Warrant. The Company will forthwith
mail a copy of each such certificate to the holder of the Warrant and any
Warrant agent of the Company (appointed pursuant to Section 10 hereof).

         6. Reservation of Stock, etc. Issuable on Exercise of Warrant;
Financial Statements. The Company will at all times reserve and keep available,
solely for issuance and delivery on the exercise of the Warrants, all shares of
Common Stock (or Other Securities) from time to time issuable on the exercise of
the Warrant. This Warrant entitles the holder hereof to receive copies of all
financial and other information distributed or required to be distributed to the
holders of the Company's Common Stock.

         7. Assignment; Exchange of Warrant. Subject to compliance with
applicable Securities laws, this Warrant, and the rights evidenced hereby, may
be transferred by any registered holder hereof (a "Transferor") with respect to
any or all of the Shares. On the surrender for exchange of this Warrant, with
the Transferor's endorsement in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto (the
Transferor Endorsement Form") and together with evidence reasonably satisfactory
to the Company demonstrating compliance with applicable Securities Laws, the
Company at its expense but with payment by the Transferor of any applicable
transfer taxes) will issue and deliver to or on the order of the Transferor
thereof a new Warrant or Warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Transferor
and/or the transferee(s) specified in such Transferor Endorsement Form (each a
"Transferee"), calling in the aggregate on the face or faces thereof for the
number of shares of Common Stock called for on the face or faces of the Warrant
so surrendered by the Transferor.

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<PAGE>

         8. Replacement of Warrant. On receipt of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
this Warrant and, in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction of this
Warrant, on delivery of an indemnity agreement or security reasonably
satisfactory in form and amount to the Company or, in the case of any such
mutilation, on surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company at its
expense will execute and deliver, in lieu thereof, a new Warrant of like tenor.

         9. Registration Rights. The holder of this Warrant has been granted
certain registration rights by the Company. These registration rights are set
forth in a Subscription Agreement entered into by the Company and Subscribers of
the Company's Convertible Notes at or prior to the issue date of this Warrant.
The terms of the Subscription Agreement are incorporated herein by this
reference. Upon the occurrence of a Non-Registration Event as described in the
Subscription Agreement, in the event the Company is unable to issue Common Stock
upon exercise of this Warrant that has been registered in the Registration
Statement described in Section 10.1(iv) of the Subscription Agreement, 150 days
after the issue date of this Warrant which Registration Statement must be
effective throughout the exercise period of this Warrant, then upon receipt by
the Company of notice that the Holder of this Warrant would exercise this
Warrant but for the Company's inability to issue such Common Stock upon exercise
of this Warrant, then the Company will pay to the Holder of this Warrant, in
lieu of delivering Common Stock, a sum equal to the highest ask price of the
Company's Common Stock on NASD OTC Bulletin Board or such other principal
trading market for the Company's Common Stock (or as quoted in the "Pink Sheets"
published by the National Quotation Bureau) on the trading date immediately
preceding the date notice is given by the Holder, less the exercise price of
this Warrant, for each share of Common Stock designated in such notice from the
Holder.

         10. Warrant Agent. The Company may, by written notice to the each
holder of the Warrant, appoint an agent for the purpose of issuing Common Stock
(or Other Securities) on the exercise of this Warrant pursuant to Section 1,
exchanging this Warrant pursuant to Section 7, and replacing this Warrant
pursuant to Section 8, or any of the foregoing, and thereafter any such
issuance, exchange or replacement, as the case may be, shall be made at such
office by such agent.

         11. Transfer on the Company's Books. Until this Warrant is transferred
on the books of the Company, the Company may treat the registered holder hereof
as the absolute owner hereof for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice to the
contrary.

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<PAGE>

         12. Notices, etc. All notices and other communications from the Company
to the holder of this Warrant shall be mailed by first class registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, at such address as may have been furnished to
the Company in writing by such holder or, until any such holder furnishes to the
Company an address, then to, and at the address of, the last holder of this
Warrant who has so furnished an address to the Company.

         13. Miscellaneous. This Warrant and any term hereof may be changed,
waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by the
party against which enforcement of such change, waiver, discharge or termination
is sought. This Warrant shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and
governed by the laws of New York. Any dispute relating to this Warrant shall be
adjudicated in New York State. The headings in this Warrant are for purposes of
reference only, and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the terms hereof.
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall in no way
affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this Warrant under seal as
of the date first written above.


                                            FREDERICK BREWING CO.

                                            By: /s/ [Illegible]
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Name to Come


Witness:

/s/ [Illegible]
-----------------------------
Name to Come

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                                   Exhibit A

                              FORM OF SUBSCRIPTION
                   (To be signed only on exercise of Warrant)

TO: Frederick Brewing Co.

The undersigned, the holder of the within Warrant, hereby irrevocably elects to
exercise this Warrant for, and to purchase thereunder, __________________ shares
of Common Stock of Frederick Brewing Co. and herewith makes payment of
$ ____________ therefor, and requests that the certificates for such shares be
issued in the name of, and delivered to ___________________ whose address is
_______________________________________________________________________________.

The undersigned represents and warrants that all offers and sales by the
undersigned of the securities issuable upon exercise of the within Warrant shall
be made pursuant to registration of the Common Stock under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or pursuant to an exemption from
registration under the Securities Act.

Dated:
       ----------------------

                                            -----------------------------------
                                            (Signature must conform to name of
                                            holder as specified on the face of
                                            the Warrant)

                                            -----------------------------------
                                            (Address)

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                                   Exhibit B

                         FORM OF TRANSFEROR ENDORSEMENT
                   (To be signed only on transfer of Warrant)

         For value received, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns, and
transfers unto the person(s) named below under the heading "Transferees" the
right represented by the within Warrant to purchase the percentage and number of
shares of Common Stock of Frederick Brewing Co. to which the within Warrant
relates specified under the headings "Percentage Transferred" and "Number
Transferred," respectively, opposite the name(s) of such person(s) and appoints
each such person Attorney to transfer its respective right on the books of
Frederick Brewing Co. with full power of substitution in the premises.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Transferees                 Percentage                      Number
     -----------                 Transferred                  Transferred
                                 -----------                  -----------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Dated: ___________, 19__                    ------------------------------------
                                            (Signature must conform to name
                                            of holder as specified on the
                                            face of the warrant)


Signed in the presence of:

-----------------------------               ------------------------------------
    (Name)                                        (address)

                                            ------------------------------------
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:                              (address)
[TRANSFEREE]

-----------------------------
    (Name)

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