Argonian Ale Extraction is a small miscellaneous quest in Whiterun, in Whiterun Hold. Brenuin, one of the city’s beggars, has his eye on a bottle of Argonian Ale sitting in the Bannered Mare and would very much like you to “borrow” it for him. It is a quick introduction to petty theft with a modest payoff.
How to start
- Talk to Brenuin in Whiterun. He tells you there is a bottle of good Argonian Ale at the Bannered Mare and asks you to take it, insisting nobody will miss it.
- There are no prerequisites.
Walkthrough
Steal the Argonian Ale
Head into the Bannered Mare and go through the door on the left side of the main room into the kitchen. The bottle is kept there. The kitchen is usually empty, so a quiet grab is normally all it takes. If someone happens to be in the room, you can pick the bottle up (rather than taking it into your inventory) and carry it upstairs, then take it once you are out of sight.
If the innkeeper already counts you as a friend, the ale is not flagged as stolen at all, and anyone nearby will just comment on your lucky find instead of raising the alarm.
Give the ale to Brenuin
Return to Brenuin and hand over the bottle. He rewards you with a potion that he claims to have “found” at the temple, which tells you roughly how Brenuin finances his lifestyle.
Rewards
- Potion of Vigorous Healing
Tips and notes
- Want the ale for yourself after all? It can be stolen back from Brenuin once the quest is finished. A stolen bottle can be sold to a merchant (or a fence once you have progressed with the Thieves Guild) and bought back to clear its stolen status.
- Owners of the Ebony Blade sometimes use Brenuin as a convenient source of a charge after the hand-in; looting the ale from his body also removes the stolen tag. The arch next to Carlotta Valentia’s house at night is mentioned as a spot where this can be done without a bounty. Whether that is worth it for one bottle of ale is between you and your conscience.
- Although the quest is technically theft, nobody turns hostile over it as long as you are not seen taking the bottle.
