Best Keg Items in Stardew Valley
Kegs are one of the strongest late-game money machines, but slot efficiency matters. This page ranks practical keg inputs so you can keep every machine working on high-value crops.
Quick rule: fruit usually gets first priority because wine scales at 3x base value.
Best Inputs by Keg Value
| Input | Base Price | Keg Output | Output Price | Added Profit | Added Profit/Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starfruit | 750g | Starfruit Wine | 2,250g | 1,500g | 214.29g/day (7 days) |
| Ancient Fruit | 550g | Ancient Fruit Wine | 1,650g | 1,100g | 157.14g/day (7 days) |
| Melon | 250g | Melon Wine | 750g | 500g | 71.43g/day (7 days) |
| Pumpkin | 320g | Pumpkin Juice | 720g | 400g | 57.14g/day (7 days) |
| Hops | 25g | Pale Ale | 300g | 275g | 183.33g/day (1-2 days) |
| Wheat | 25g | Beer | 200g | 175g | 140.00g/day (1-2 days) |
How to Route Crops Into Kegs
- Reserve weekly keg cycles for Starfruit and Ancient Fruit first.
- Use quick-cycle recipes like Pale Ale only if machine timing supports frequent reloads.
- If kegs are scarce, sell low-value crops raw or send them to preserve jars.
- As machine count grows, re-check your routing with actual crop output by season.
FAQ
What formula does the keg use for fruits and vegetables?
Kegs turn fruit into wine worth 3x base price and vegetables into juice worth 2.25x base price. This is why high base-value fruit scales so well in keg setups.
Is Ancient Fruit or Starfruit better for kegs?
Starfruit gives the highest value per processed crop, but Ancient Fruit is easier to automate because it regrows every 7 days without replanting. The better choice depends on labor and seed budget.
Should I put low-value crops in kegs?
Usually no, unless your kegs would otherwise be idle. Keg slots are limited, so prioritize high-value fruit and high-margin recipes first.