How brewing works in Minecraft
- Craft a brewing stand from 1 blaze rod and 3 cobblestone (or blackstone), and fuel it with blaze powder. One blaze powder powers 20 brewing steps.
- Fill glass bottles with water and put up to 3 in the bottom slots.
- Add nether wart to make awkward potions, then the effect ingredient. Each step takes 20 seconds.
- Optionally add redstone or glowstone, then gunpowder for splash potions and dragon's breath for lingering ones.
One ingredient brews all three bottles at once, so always brew in threes.
Brewing ingredients and what they do
| Ingredient | Added to a water bottle | Added to a potion |
|---|---|---|
| Nether Wart | Awkward Potion | The starting point for almost every potion. |
| Redstone Dust | Mundane Potion | Makes the effect last longer. Cannot be combined with glowstone. |
| Glowstone Dust | Thick Potion | Raises the effect level and shortens it. Cannot be combined with redstone. |
| Fermented Spider Eye | Potion of Weakness | Corrupts a potion into its opposite, e.g. Swiftness into Slowness. |
| Gunpowder | Splash Water Bottle | Turns any potion into a splash potion you throw. |
| Dragon's Breath | Lingering Water Bottle (from splash) | Turns a splash potion into a lingering one that leaves a cloud. |
Splash and lingering potions
Splash potions last as long as the drinkable version. Lingering potions leave a cloud instead, and the Minecraft Wiki gives each dose from the cloud a quarter of the drinkable duration (an 8:00 potion gives 2:00) or half the strength for instant effects like Healing. Lingering potions are also how you craft tipped arrows.
New potions in 1.21: Oozing, Weaving, Infestation and Wind Charging
The Tricky Trials update added four potions, all brewed from an awkward potion and all lasting 3:00. They have no longer or stronger versions.
- Potion of Oozing (Slime Block): When you die, two medium slimes spawn.
- Potion of Weaving (Cobweb): Leaves 2–3 cobwebs when you die; you move faster through cobwebs.
- Potion of Infestation (Stone): 10% chance to spawn 1–2 silverfish each time you are hit.
- Potion of Wind Charging (Breeze Rod): Releases a burst of wind when you die.
Java vs Bedrock brewing differences
- Potion of Regeneration: the redstone version lasts 1:30 on Java and 2:00 on Bedrock.
- Potion of Poison: the redstone version lasts 1:30 on Java and 2:00 on Bedrock.
- Potion of Poison II lasts 0:21 on Java and 0:22 on Bedrock.
- Weakness: Bedrock can also brew it by adding a fermented spider eye to an awkward, mundane or thick potion, and Strength II corrupts into Weakness.
- Potions you cannot brew: the Potion of Luck (Java) and the Potion of Decay (Bedrock) only come from commands or the Creative inventory.
Heading into the Nether? Pair your potions with good gear: the enchantment calculator finds the cheapest way to put Protection, Fire Protection and Mending on your armor.
Brewing and potion questions
How do you make potions in Minecraft?
Put water bottles in a brewing stand fuelled with blaze powder, add nether wart to make awkward potions, then add the effect ingredient, such as sugar for Swiftness or magma cream for Fire Resistance. Each step takes 20 seconds and brews up to 3 bottles.
What do redstone and glowstone do to potions?
Redstone makes the effect last longer, for example 3:00 to 8:00. Glowstone raises the level to II (IV for Slowness) but shortens it. A potion can have one or the other, not both.
How do you make a splash or lingering potion?
Add gunpowder to any potion to make it a splash potion. Add dragon's breath to a splash potion to make it lingering. The cloud from a lingering potion gives a quarter of the drinkable duration, or half the strength for instant effects.
How do you make a Potion of Invisibility?
Brew a Potion of Night Vision (awkward potion plus a golden carrot), then add a fermented spider eye. Add redstone to make it last 8:00 instead of 3:00.
What are the new potions in Minecraft 1.21?
Oozing (slime block), Weaving (cobweb), Infestation (stone) and Wind Charging (breeze rod), each added to an awkward potion. They last 3:00 and have no longer or stronger versions.
Can you brew a Potion of Luck?
No. The Potion of Luck exists only in Java Edition and only through commands or the Creative inventory. Bedrock's Potion of Decay cannot be brewed either.