Article

How to Make a Strength Potion in Minecraft

9 October 2026

To make Strength, brew nether wart into water bottles, then add blaze powder to the Awkward Potions. Use blaze powder in the fuel slot as well as a separate portion in the ingredient slot. The basic drinkable potion lasts three minutes in Java and Bedrock.

Ingredients

• A brewing stand, water, one to three glass bottles, and one nether wart.
• Two blaze powder for a fresh stand: one to fuel it and one for the recipe.
• Optional redstone dust for longer Strength, or glowstone dust for Strength II.
• Optional gunpowder for a splash version.

A blaze rod crafts into two blaze powder, so one rod can cover the fuel and effect ingredient for this batch. If the stand already has enough fuel, only the ingredient portion is needed.

Step-by-step brewing

1. Fill bottles with water and place them in the bottom slots.
2. Put one blaze powder in the left fuel slot.
3. Brew nether wart in the top slot until the bottles become Awkward Potions.
4. Put a separate blaze powder in the top slot. Wait for Potion of Strength.
5. Choose one upgrade below, then drink the potion before melee combat.

Duration and upgrades

Choose between a longer effect and a stronger effect. You cannot combine redstone and glowstone to make an eight-minute Strength II potion. Add gunpowder to a finished potion for a throwable splash version; its delivered duration can differ by edition and impact distance.

Java and Bedrock notes

The brewing recipe and drinkable durations match, but the editions calculate the added melee damage differently. Java adds attack damage per effect level; Bedrock scales damage differently. Do not assume the same weapon hits for the same total damage across editions.

Strength improves melee attacks; it does not increase bow or crossbow projectile damage. Java players still need to allow their attack cooldown to recover for strong hits.

Common mistakes and choosing a potion

Blaze powder placed only in the fuel slot will not turn Awkward Potions into Strength. You must also put it in the top ingredient slot. Adding it directly to water bottles skips the required base.

For a long exploration trip, extended Strength leaves more time between drinks. Strength II suits a short fight when you are ready to attack immediately, because its timer is much shorter. Neither potion replaces armour, food, or a retreat route. In a Nether fortress, Fire Resistance covers a different risk: Strength does not protect against blaze fireballs.

Mojang’s Taking Inventory: Blaze Powder explains its fuel and Strength brewing roles. Microsoft’s potion reference distinguishes long Strength from enhanced Strength.

Related potion guides

Keep the printable Minecraft Potion Brewing Chart beside your brewing stand for ingredients, upgrades and timers for all 19 Survival potions.

• Night Vision potion
• Water Breathing potion
• Fire Resistance potion
• Invisibility potion

See the Minecraft potion brewing guide for the recipe table, or return to Minecraft guides and videos.