This Stardew Valley guide compares Kegs and Preserves Jars, analyzing their profitability for turning crops into artisan goods. The guide is part of a larger Stardew Valley walkthrough.
Stardew Valley players can significantly increase their profits by transforming crops into artisan goods. Advanced farming unlocks recipes for Kegs and Preserves Jars, crucial for this process.
Kegs and Preserves Jars: A Head-to-Head Comparison
Both Kegs and Preserves Jars create valuable artisan goods, especially with the Artisan profession's 40% price boost. Importantly, input item quality doesn't affect output quality or selling price. Use your lowest-quality produce for maximum efficiency.
Preserves Jars:
Produce Jellies, Pickles, Aged Roe, and Caviar. Obtainable through bundles, or the Prize Machine. Requires 50 Wood, 40 Stone, and 8 Coal to craft (Farming Level 4).
| Item In Jar | Product | Base Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Any fruit | [fruit name] Jelly | 2 x [base fruit price] + 50 |
| Any vegetable | Pickled [item name] | 2 x [base item price] + 50 |
| Certain Mushrooms | Pickled [item name] | 2 x [base item price] + 50 |
| Certain Forage Items | Pickled [item name] | 2 x [base item price] + 50 |
| Roe (except Sturgeon) | Aged [fish name] Roe | 2 x [roe price] |
| Sturgeon Roe | Caviar | 2 x [roe price] |
Kegs:
Produce Wine, Beer, Pale Ale, Coffee, Juice, Green Tea, and Vinegar. Obtainable through bundles or the Prize Machine. Requires 30 Wood, 1 Copper Bar, 1 Iron Bar, and 1 Oak Resin to craft (Farming Level 8).
| Item In Keg | Product | Base Sell Price |
|---|---|---|
| Any fruit | [fruit name] Wine | 3 x [base fruit price] |
| Any vegetable (except Hops/Wheat) | [item name] Juice | 2.25 x [base item price] |
| Hops | Pale Ale | 300g |
| Wheat | Beer | 200g |
| Honey | Mead | 200g |
| Tea Leaves | Green Tea | 100g |
| Coffee Beans (5) | Coffee | 150g |
| Rice | Vinegar | 100g |
Kegs vs. Preserves Jars: The Verdict
Kegs generally yield higher profits, but are more expensive and time-consuming to craft and use. Wine, for example, significantly outperforms Jelly. Aged products in Casks further increase Keg profits, but require the farmhouse upgrade and potentially additional Cask crafting.
Preserves Jars are cheaper and faster, making them ideal for early-game profits and low-value, high-yield crops (e.g., Blueberries). They also process some items Kegs can't.
The best approach is to use both. Kegs for high-value products and long-term investment, and Preserves Jars for quick returns on low-value crops and unique items. This maximizes farm efficiency and profit.
(Image 1: Keg) 
(Image 2: Preserves Jar) 
(Note: Image URLs are placeholders and should be replaced with actual image URLs.)
