How are item prices calculated in Stardew Valley?

Base prices are taken directly from Stardew Valley 1.6 game files. Quality multipliers apply: Silver = 1.25x, Gold = 1.5x, Iridium = 2x. Profession bonuses like Tiller (+10%) and Artisan (+40%) stack with quality multipliers.

What is the profit difference between Keg and Preserves Jar?

Kegs generally yield higher profits for fruits (wine sells for 3x base price), while Preserves Jars are faster (3 days vs 7 days for wine) and better for vegetables. Use our calculator to compare profits for specific items.

How often is StardewPriceDB updated?

We verify all prices against Stardew Valley 1.6.14 game data after each game update. Check our About page for the last verification date.

Should I use a Keg or Preserves Jar?

Use Kegs for fruits (Wine = Base × 3) and Hops (Pale Ale). Use Preserves Jars for vegetables and when you need faster turnover. Jars take 3 days vs 7 days for wine.

What is the Keg vs Jar formula?

Keg: Wine = Base Price × 3, Juice = Base × 2.25. Jar: Jelly/Pickles = Base × 2 + 50. Processing time: Wine 7 days, Juice 4 days, Jar always 3 days.

Is Pale Ale the best Keg product?

Yes, by gold-per-day. Pale Ale (300g) takes only 1.5 days = 183g/day. Starfruit Wine (2,250g) takes 7 days = 214g/day but requires expensive seeds.

Does Artisan profession affect Kegs and Jars equally?

Yes, Artisan adds +40% to ALL artisan goods including Wine, Juice, Jelly, Pickles, and Pale Ale. The Keg vs Jar winner stays the same, but profits increase significantly.

🍷 Keg vs Preserves Jar

"Should I Keg this or Jar it?" The answer isn't always obvious. This guide breaks down the math with gold-per-day calculations for every major crop.

⚡ The Short Answer

🍇 Fruits

→ Keg (Wine) for higher total value

🥬 Vegetables

→ Jar (Pickles) for faster turnover

🌿 Hops

→ Keg (Pale Ale) = BEST gold/day!

📊 Understanding the Formulas

🍷 Keg

Wine (Fruits)

Base × 3

⏱️ 7 days (10,000 minutes)

Juice (Vegetables)

Base × 2.25

⏱️ 4 days (6,000 minutes)

Pale Ale (Hops)

300g fixed

⏱️ 1.5 days (2,250 minutes)

🫙 Preserves Jar

Jelly (Fruits)

Base × 2 + 50

⏱️ 3 days (4,000 minutes)

Pickles (Vegetables)

Base × 2 + 50

⏱️ 3 days (4,000 minutes)

✨ Advantage: Consistent 3-day cycle makes planning easier

💡 The Critical Metric: Gold Per Day

Gold/Day = (Processed Price - Raw Price) ÷ Processing Days

We subtract raw price because that's your opportunity cost. A 600g Wine that takes 7 days isn't necessarily better than 300g Jelly that takes 3 days.

📈 Complete Comparison Table

Crop	Base	Wine/Juice	Jelly/Pickle	Keg g/day	Jar g/day	Winner
⭐ Starfruit	750g	2,250g	1,550g	214	267	JAR*
🍇 Ancient Fruit	550g	1,650g	1,150g	157	200	JAR*
🍈 Melon	250g	750g	550g	71	100	JAR
🎃 Pumpkin	320g	720g	690g	100	123	JAR
🌿 Hops	25g	300g	100g	183	25	KEG!
🌾 Wheat	25g	200g	N/A	100	-	KEG
🍓 Strawberry	120g	360g	290g	34	57	JAR
🫐 Blueberry	50g	150g	150g	14	33	JAR
🔴 Cranberry	75g	225g	200g	21	42	JAR
☕ Coffee Bean	15g	150g	80g	67	22	KEG

* Wait, Jar Beats Keg on Starfruit?

Yes, by gold-per-day. BUT most players prefer Kegs because:

• You have limited Keg slots → maximize value per Keg
• Wine can be aged in Casks to Iridium quality (+100%)
• Higher total output matters more than speed in late game

🍺 The Hops Exception

🌿 Hops → Pale Ale Pipeline

Hops Base Price

25g

Pale Ale Price

300g (420g Artisan)

Processing Time

1.5 days

Gold Per Day

183g/day

(263g/day with Artisan)

Per Plant Per Summer

17 Hops = 5,100g

(7,140g with Artisan)

⚠️ The Catch: You Need LOTS of Kegs

Each Hops plant produces 17 Hops per Summer. At 1.5 days per Pale Ale:

100 Hops plants × 17 Hops = 1,700 Hops
1,700 Hops ÷ (28 days ÷ 1.5 days) = 91 Kegs minimum

💡 Pro tip: Start collecting Oak Resin early! You need 1 per Keg.

⭐ Artisan Profession Impact

The Artisan profession adds +40% to ALL artisan goods. This doesn't change the Keg vs Jar winner, but it amplifies your profits significantly.

Product	Base Price	With Artisan	Bonus
🍷 Starfruit Wine	2,250g	3,150g	+900g
🍇 Ancient Fruit Wine	1,650g	2,310g	+660g
🍺 Pale Ale	300g	420g	+120g
🎃 Pumpkin Pickles	690g	966g	+276g
⭐ Iridium Starfruit Wine	4,500g	6,300g	+1,800g