Guides / The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Honningbrew Meadery
As part of the Thieves Guild quest "Dampened Spirits," you travel to the Honningbrew Meadery to poison the mead supply and frame owner Sabjorn. You must clear out a skeever infestation in the basement and tunnels, poison the brewing vat in the boilery, and retrieve incriminating documents from the private office. Once Sabjorn is arrested by Commander Caius during the tasting, the meadery is transferred to Maven Black-Briar and becomes the Black-Briar Meadery West.
- Region
- Whiterun Hold
- Getting there
- South-east of Whiterun, along the road just across the stone bridge over the White River
- Connects to
- Honningbrew Basement, Honningbrew Boilery
- Related quests
- Dampened Spirits
- Services and people
- Sabjorn · Mallus Maccius · Commander Caius
- Enemy types
- Skeever · Venomfang Skeever · Frostbite Spider
Items
0/3
Secrets
0/1
Key fights
Enemies: Hamelyn and a swarm of Skeevers / Venomfang Skeevers
Threats: Frost magic spells (Frostbite, Ice Spike) that drain stamina and slow movement, alongside swarming melee bites from venomous skeevers
Weaknesses and resistances: Weak to shock and fire damage, low physical armor rating, vulnerable to sneak attacks and paralysis
Tactics: Use the narrow wooden tunnel entrance as a chokepoint to eliminate the skeevers before engaging Hamelyn, or snipe Hamelyn from stealth on the raised approach before he can initiate his frost spells; close distance quickly with melee to disrupt his casting
Rewards: Hamelyn's Journal, Hamelyn's Key, leveled gold, and progression in "Dampened Spirits"
Enemies
Abundant throughout the basement and connecting tunnels; can transmit the Ataxia disease.
Stronger variants of skever that deal extra poison damage.
Found lurking in the lower tunnels leading toward Hamelyn's lair.
A mad mage residing in the tunnels who commands the skeevers and attacks on sight with magic.
Stationed inside the boilery; will attack if you are detected trespassing.
Shops and people
- Sabjorn: Honningbrew Mead and food items (prior to completing the quest)
- Mallus Maccius: Fences stolen goods with up to 1,500 gold once he takes over management after the quest
Tips
- Crouch and maintain stealth when entering the boilery through the tunnel hatch to avoid alerting the guard stationed right by the vat.
- You can convince Sabjorn with a Persuasion check to pay you half of your fee upfront before you head down to handle the pest problem.
- Bring Cure Disease potions or be prepared to pray at a shrine, as the high density of skeevers in the basement tunnels makes catching Ataxia very likely.
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