How to Unlock the Distillation Cube and Make Melted Fat

Quick answer

Earn 10 reputation with Albert to open Alchemy, Basic, then research Alchemy, Distillation for 5 red and 5 green Tech Points. Build the Distillation Cube from the Alchemy Lab desk. The source-checked build cost is 2 Wooden Planks, 2 Bronze Details, and 12 Brick; building it requires Building mastery 2. The Cube can run with a zombie worker.

To make Melted Fat, either use Fat ×1, Clay Plate ×2, and Fuel ×20 for Melted Fat ×4, or Seed oil ×3, Clay Plate ×2, and Fuel ×20 for Melted Fat ×3. Both routes list Anatomy mastery 1.

Version and evidence status

The structured data pages that name a game version cover 1.004.2. Update 1.005 later reported an Alchemy Tower performance improvement; it did not list a recipe, fuel, mastery, or construction-cost change. Keeper Atlas has not live-tested the Cube in the current 1.006 build, so the station and both recipes are marked REVERIFY_REQUIRED. The exact game patch behind several other current-release pages is not stated.

Unlock path and common blockers

1. Reach 10 reputation with Albert. The current technology references describe this as the gate for Alchemy, Basic; they do not identify one specific quest as the sole way to reach it.
2. Learn Alchemy, Basic. This gate has no research-point cost in the consulted sources.
3. Learn Alchemy, Distillation. The cost is 5 red and 5 green Tech Points, and Alchemy, Basic is the listed prerequisite.
4. Use the building desk in the Alchemy Lab. The Cube is not offered from the yard building desk.
5. Bring the construction materials and meet Building mastery 2. Two current references agree on 2 Wooden Planks, 2 Bronze Details, and 12 Brick. One versioned database row omits Bronze Detail, so confirm the build desk before spending materials if its current display differs.

The structured technology path is Alchemy, Basic → Alchemy, Distillation → Distillation Cube. The Alchemy Lab location record links back to the station.

Melted Fat recipes

Route	Inputs	Output	Mastery	Automation
From Fat	Fat ×1, Clay Plate ×2, Fuel ×20	Melted Fat ×4	Anatomy 1	Zombie worker supported
From Seed oil	Seed oil ×3, Clay Plate ×2, Fuel ×20	Melted Fat ×3	Anatomy 1	Zombie worker supported

Open the structured records for Fat route, Seed oil route, and Melted Fat. Each batch uses two Clay Plates and 20 Fuel. The cited data says a Firewood shed makes 20 Fuel from two Firewood, which matches one batch’s fuel amount.

One data-extracted source specifies Fat with 1 red skull; the other route listings do not specify a skull requirement. Keeper Atlas leaves the input as generic Fat and flags that modifier for research rather than presenting a one-source detail as settled.

Is the Cube zombie-operated?

Yes. Two structured references identify the Cube as zombie-operable, and the 1.004.2 database marks its recipes as automatable. A zombie can process a queued batch; that does not remove the need to unlock the station, provide its ingredients, or supply Fuel.

What is still being checked?

• Current-build behavior after the 1.005 Alchemy Tower performance change.
• Whether the Fat route requires the 1-red-skull variant.
• The build-cost discrepancy across 1.004.2 databases.
• No game changelog source reports changed Melted Fat inputs, outputs, mastery, or fuel. Those values remain version-stamped at 1.004.2 until a current-build verification is captured.

Follow the Ink and Paper guide to see why Melted Fat matters for Ink, and the Known Issues and Patch Hub for patch-specific behavior.