How do you use the Valheim fermenter? This brewing station is a big wooden barrel, used for concocting mead and wine that can boost your resistance to different status effects, including poison, fire, and frost. You can even craft potions that temporarily increase the rate of your stamina and health regeneration.
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Wherever you're heading on the Valheim map you'll want a few bottles of mead in your inventory, and I'm here to help you make lots of it. Let's cover how to use the fermenter in Valheim, how long it takes to ferment mead, and what to do when this object is too exposed.
Valheim fermenter: How to use it
The fermenter is used to create mead and potions in Valheim. You can make this item early on, after you've acquired a hammer, workbench, and forge. To craft a fermenter you need:
- Equipment: Workbench, forge.
- Bronze x5: Combine Copper x2 and Tin x1 in a forge.
- Fine wood x30: Chop down Birch and Oak trees (requires a bronze axe or better).
- Resin x10: Dropped by Greydwarf/Shaman/Brutes and occasionally dropped when chopping down Beech and Birch trees.
You also need a cauldron to begin brewing mead bases that can then be fermented into various potions. Remember you need to place this above a campfire for it to work. Here's how to craft a cauldron:
- Equipment: Workbench, smelter.
- Tin x10: Smelt tin ore, found in the Black Forest.
Interact with the cauldron and check out your available mead recipes (below). Once you have your desired mead base, walk over to the fermenter and press E to place it in the fermenter. The barrel will have an orange, gassy glow surrounding it while it ferments.
Valheim fermenter time
How long does fermentation take in Valheim?
It takes two in-game days for your fermenter to transform your mead base into a helpful potion. There's no way to skip the process by sleeping, so we'll just have to be patient. If you're planning to sail your boat to a faraway corner of the map, or you're poised to march into a challenging boss fight, be sure to pop your fermenter on first.
Consider crafting a chest and leaving it next to your fermenter so that you can store your precious elixirs safely. It's worth stocking up on various types of mead in advance, so you're not wasting time waiting to swipe the mead as soon as it's ready. If you play with your pals on a dedicated Valheim server, make sure there's enough to go around and take turns crafting various mead bases, just like you would boiling the kettle in real life.
Valheim fermenter too exposed?
What to do when your Valheim fermenter is too exposed
The fermenter is similar to your workbench in that it needs shelter before you can begin concocting potions. There's no pressure to build an elaborate home for your fermenter—a basic shed or shelter will do—but seeing as you'll be making lots of mead, make sure the structure has room for storage. I recommend finding a permanent spot for your fermenter in your home. If that's not feasible, here's how to build a small shelter when your fermenter is too exposed:
- Place eight Wood Walls (Wood x2 each) around the fermenter.
- Add two Thatched Roof 45° tiles (Wood x2) directly above.
Mead & wine recipes
How to make all Valheim mead and wine: Frost resistance mead, and more
You'll automatically unlock Valheim mead and wine recipes as you discover their required ingredients. Once you have access to a cauldron, you can begin making mead and wine bases. Here's every type of mead and wine, and how to make it:
| Mead/wine (x6) | Effect | Mead/ wine base required (x1) | Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor healing mead | Restores 50HP over 10 seconds | Mead base: Minor healing | Blueberries x5, dandelion x1, honey x10, raspberries x10 |
| Medium healing mead | Restores 75HP over 10 seconds | Mead base: Medium healing | Bloodbag x4, dandelion x1, honey x10, raspberries x10 |
| Minor stamina mead | Restores 80 stamina over 120 seconds | Mead base: Minor stamina | Honey x10, raspberries x10, yellow mushroom x10 |
| Medium stamina mead | Restores 160 stamina immediately, increases stamina recovery for 120 seconds | Mead base: Medium stamina | Cloudberries x10, honey x10, yellow mushroom x10 |
| Tasty mead | Increases stamina regen by 300 percent, lowers health regen by 50 percent | Mead base: Tasty | Blueberries x5, honey x10, raspberries x10 |
| Frost resistance mead | Frost resistance for 600 seconds | Mead base: Frost resistance | Bloodbag x2, greydwarf eye x1, honey x10, thistle x5 |
| Poison resistance mead | Poison resistance for 600 seconds | Mead base: Poison resistance | Coal x10, honey x10, neck tail x1, thistle x5 |
| Fire resistance barley wine | Fire resistance for 600 seconds | Barley wine base: Fire resistance | Barley x10, cloudberries x10 |
