Kegs & Artisan Goods Money Guide — Turn Crops into Gold in Stardew Valley

Selling a pile of Starfruit raw or bottling Starfruit Wine — the answer sits in that Keg you haven't built yet. The Artisan Goods system is where real money gets made. Not from crops, not from mining — from processing.

Quick Summary: Which Equipment, Which Crops

• Keg: Fruit → Wine (×3 base value), Vegetables → Juice (×2.25 base value).
• Preserves Jar: Fruit → Jelly (×2 base + 50g), Vegetables → Pickles (×2 base + 50g).
• Mayonnaise Machine: Eggs → Mayonnaise (100-190g depending on type). Void Eggs make Void Mayonnaise worth 275g.
• Oil Maker: Truffle → Truffle Oil (1,065g), Corn/Basil/Sunflower → Oil.
• Cheese Press: Milk → Cheese (200-330g depending on type). Goat Milk → Goat Cheese.
• Bee House: Honey varies by nearby flower type (best with Fairy Rose = 680g).

Keg — The King of All Artisan Equipment

The Keg is the heart of the Artisan economy. The formula is simple: most fruits go in → Wine comes out at ×3 base value. One Starfruit (750g) → Starfruit Wine (2,250g). Add the Artisan profession (+40% Artisan Goods price) → 3,150g per bottle.

Starfruit and Ancient Fruit are always the top Keg choices. One bottle of Starfruit Wine every 6 days — the most valuable item in the game.

Keg tip: Vegetables go into Kegs as Juice at ×2.25 value. But Juice is significantly worse than Wine, so prioritize Keg slots for fruit. The only bottleneck is time: a Keg takes 6 days to process Starfruit, so you need lots of Kegs — volume is the key.

Preserves Jar — Great for Low-Value or Bulk Crops

The Preserves Jar pays out at (base value × 2) + 50g and only takes 2-5 days depending on the input. Not as impressive as the Keg, but much faster. Use it for vegetables that can't become Wine: Cauliflower, Pumpkin, Melon, etc.

High-value fruits (Starfruit, Ancient Fruit) still go in Kegs. But low-value fruits in small batches — or winter vegetables — the Preserves Jar handles quickly and profitably. Pickles from Pumpkin: 770g (base), 1,078g (Artisan) — nothing to sneeze at.

Mayonnaise Machine — Boring but Profitable

Sounds basic, but this is the cheapest way to turn chickens into gold. A regular Egg sells for 50g raw, but the Machine turns it into Mayonnaise worth 100g. Large Egg → Deluxe Mayonnaise (275g).

Void Mayonnaise from Void Eggs (buy at Traveling Cart or raise a Void Chicken): worth 275g. Most players throw these away — don't.

Duck Egg → Duck Mayonnaise (200-375g). Dinosaur Egg → Dinosaur Mayonnaise (800g). Very profitable.

Oil Maker — Truffle = Liquid Gold

Truffle sells raw for 625g. Process it in the Oil Maker → Truffle Oil worth 1,065g (+40% Artisan = 1,491g). A good pig produces 1-2 Truffles per day (except Winter). A large pig farm is the most underrated passive income in the game.

Cheese Press — Reliable and Steady

Milk sells raw for 125g, press it → Cheese worth 200g (+ Artisan 280g). Large Milk → Cheese 300g (+ Artisan 420g). Goat Milk (64g) → Goat Cheese (200g). If you've got a full Barn, the Cheese Press is a guaranteed money stream.

Building the Artisan Economy: Phase by Phase

Kegs and Jars don't grow on trees. Here's the roadmap:

Phase 1: Year 1, Spring → Summer

• Build at least 1 Mayonnaise Machine the day you get a Coop — start processing eggs immediately.
• Collect Oak Resin for Kegs (use Tappers on Oak trees — each tree = 7-9 days/cycle).
• Once you have cash, buy extra Acorns and plant an Oak farm for Resin.
• Build 10-20 Kegs early, place them inside a Shed to save space.

Phase 2: Year 1, Fall → Winter

• Scale Keg count to 50-100. Dedicate to Ancient Fruit/Starfruit.
• Aim for the Artisan profession (Farming Level 10): +40% on all Artisan Goods. Worth every point.
• Unlock Casks in the Cellar (available after first house upgrade). Age Starfruit Wine → Iridium quality = 6,300g/bottle.

Phase 3: Year 2+, Full Scale

• Large farm + 100-300 Kegs across Sheds and the Greenhouse.
• Raise pigs for Truffles → Truffle Oil.
• Bee House with Fairy Rose → Fairy Rose Honey (680g) — Fall season or year-round in Greenhouse.
• Prioritize Ancient Fruit in the Greenhouse → Kegs → Cellar. Each bottle of Iridium Starfruit Wine at 6,300g is the peak of game profitability.

Quick Comparison: All Artisan Equipment

Simple rule: High-value fruit → Keg. Vegetables → Preserves Jar. Eggs, Milk → Machine/Press. Truffles → Oil Maker. The Artisan journey starts with your first Mayonnaise Machine.

Common Mistakes

• Kegs need Oak Resin: Start collecting from day 1. Tap 20-30 Oaks early and you'll never run out.
• Don't sell Ancient Fruit raw: Use the Seed Maker to multiply seeds first. Only sell when the Greenhouse is full.
• Fairy Rose + Bee House: The only flower that makes 680g Honey. Plant 8 Fairy Roses around a Bee House, harvest year-round in the Greenhouse.
• Cellar doubles value: Ageing Wine from Gold → Iridium doubles its value. 100 bottles of Starfruit Wine → Cellar = 315,000g becomes 630,000g.
• Artisan profession (Lv10): Pick Artisan, not Agriculturalist. +40% on Wine, Cheese, Mayonnaise — the total profit gain beats 25% faster crop growth.

FAQ

Should I build Kegs or Preserves Jars first?

If you have expensive fruit (Starfruit, Ancient Fruit) → Keg. If you only have vegetables or cheap fruit → Preserves Jar since it's faster and the gap isn't huge. Kegs are better but take 6 days; Preserves Jars only 2-4 days.

Should I sell eggs raw instead of making Mayonnaise?

No (except cheap White Eggs). Mayonnaise always doubles the egg's base value. The Mayonnaise Machine is cheap (30 wood, 2 Refined Quartz, 1 Iron Bar) — build it the moment you have a Coop.

How many Kegs do I need?

Endgame target: 200-300 Kegs. Start with 20-50 in a Shed, then expand into the Greenhouse. Each Keg processes 1 fruit every 6 days — more Kegs = more parallel profit.

What's the most expensive Wine after Cask aging?

Starfruit Wine aged to Iridium: 6,300g. Ancient Fruit Wine Iridium: 4,620g. If you have access to Starfruit, dedicate your entire Keg operation to it.

Related on StardewHub

• Most Profitable Crops — Pick the best raw materials for your Kegs.
• Greenhouse Guide — Grow Ancient Fruit year-round for unlimited Keg supply.
• How to Get 1 Million Gold — The full economy roadmap including the Artisan Goods system.

Artisan Goods aren't a shortcut — they're an entire system. Start with a Mayonnaise Machine and a few Kegs, then scale up over time. Two years in, you'll have a Keg factory printing gold every day — and a Greenhouse packed with Ancient Fruit returning 2,310g every 7 days.

Updated for Stardew Valley 1.6.