How to Brew Potions in Minecraft

Collect the stuff you will need

This is the hard part! You need some things that can only be found in the Nether.

Go to the Nether

You’ll need to build a Nether Portal to get to the Nether. If this is your first trip there, be careful! You will need good armour, a bow, and plenty of arrows. If you have armour with a Fire Resistance enchantment, so much the better.

Find a Nether Fortress

Find a Nether Fortress; this is a building made out of Nether Bricks.

Nether Stronghold

A nether fortress; look out for the dark Nether Bricks.

Get some Nether Wart

Explore the fortress until you find some Nether Wart; it will be growing in Soulsand at the bottom of a staircase.

Nether Wart grows here

Collect all the Nether Wart, and dig up the Soul Sand while you’re at it. If you see more Soul Sand on your way back to your Portal, get some more.

Blaze

Get Blaze Rods

Find Blazes, kill them and collect at least one Blaze Rod.

Be careful, Blazes are a dangerous enemy, and it’s better to pick them off with arrows from a distance.

You can find Blazes hanging out anywhere in a Nether Fortress, but sometimes you will find rooms with a Blaze Spawner: it’s dangerous to get too close to these.

Now head back to your Portal and get ready to brew!

Set up your Brewery

Nether Wart Farm

First, place the Soulsand you brought back, and plant some Nether Wart on it. This is your Nether Wart Farm. Nether wart is an ingredient in almost all the useful potions.

Craft a Brewing Stand

brewing stand

Use your Blaze Rod and some Cobblestone.

Place your brewing stand. Nearby you will also want a chest, a crafting table, and a well.

Minecraft brewing area

Water supply, brewing stand and storage.

To start brewing, you will need some glass, some Nether Wart, and some potion ingredients (check out the recipes to see what you’ll need).

Brewing Potions

Prepare Water Bottles

Make some glass bottles:

Glass Bottle

Fill three bottles with water by right-clicking on your well (the water bottles do not stack; they will appear elsewhere in your inventory, so make sure you have some free slots first.

Load the Brewing Stand

When you right-click on your Brewing Stand, the brewing interface will open.

brewing interface

Place the water-bottles in the bottom three spaces.

brewing

Add the first ingredient

The first ingredient will almost always be Nether Wart. Place it in the top slot. You will also need to add some Blaze Powderto power the brewing process. When you have added both of these, brewing will start.

Brewing in Minecraft

When the brewing is completed (it takes 20 seconds), your water bottles will have been turned into potions! This potion is called Awkward Potion, and it is not useful on its own. You must add a second ingredient.

Add the second ingredient

It’s time to add a second ingredient. This ingredient will determine what kind of potion you are making. Glistering Melon will give you a Potion of Health; use Sugar for a Potion of Swiftness, Blaze Powder for a potion of Strength, or check out the other recipes here .

brewing in Minecraft

When this step has finished, you will have three useable potions!

Optional Ingredients

Further ingredients can be added to make a stronger potion, or a splash potion that can be thrown at friends or enemies.

Redstone Dust

Redstone

Makes the effects of your potion last longer.

Glowstone Dust

Glowstone

Makes the effect of your potion stronger.

Gunpowder

Gunpowder

Makes a splash potion that can be thrown and will affect nearby players and mobs when it breaks.

Dragon's Breath

Dragon’s Breath

Converts a splash potion into a lingering potion that can be thown and will form a cloud of potion gas that will affect anyone who walks into it.

Drinking Your Potion

Hold down the right mouse button, just like eating food.