I am currently trying to recreate a potion one of my friends tasted a few years ago. I already have a list of possible herbs of the potion and would like some information on how to make a non-tea based potion, if possible.
Hm, it's actually hard to tell you the answer since you're being to general with what you're saying here. There are some questions you do need to answer, for example ; what's the potion for, what do you need for it, etc... It depends on the properties and the reason of making it in association with your situation.
Although it might be hard to give a possible answer, I believe most potions are made by adding boiling water to magickally charged herbs and letting the herbs infuse for about 10 minutes, or by putting them into cold water and letting them sit in the sun all day to infuse naturally. If you heat your potion, it's best to cover the herbs while they are infusing so that none of the vapor escapes. Another fairly common way to make a potion is to place a jar of water and herbs in the light of the full Moon and let it set over night. Then, empower the solution and place it in a dark closet, until the next full Moon when it will be ready. Until then, remember to shake your potion gently once or twice every other day while it's brewing. When the potion is ready, strain out the herbs and your potion is all set to do its work.
Thanks for your limited answer. I know I didn't give very much information because my friend doesn't want this out until it is finished. Once we create this I'll give out what it does.
Some recipes, such as Four Theives Vinegar is made with a vinegar base.
Just becareful. Herbs aren't just tasty, some are dangerous in large amounts and when infusing to ingest, you need to take care to research what you plan to use first and stay within dosage limits.
I would consider what the general flavor of it was "bitter" "sweet" "pungent" "warming" "cooling" "hot" etc. From here it will be easier to identify the herbs that could fit the categories.
There are lots of ways to make potions, but I wouldn't recommend drinking them unless you're certain that none of the ingredients are toxic or inedible. Personally, I stick to making tinctures, decoctions, or infusions.
Tinctures are alcohol-based (I like 100 proof vodka, it's easy to come by and works well). Other people like rum or pure ethanol, but *don't* use rubbing alcohol. You need a vial of whatever size you want that can be sealed airtight. Put all of the charged herbs in the vial, then pour the alcohol over them. Depending on the strength, you let it sit tightly capped on a sunny window sill for about 5 weeks and swirl or invert the vial each day (don't shake it). Once it's ready, strain the herbs out of it and place the tincture into a new, tinted vial. If it's an edible tincture, I like have a cap with a dropper on it to add how ever many drops are needed to other liquids like water.
Decoctions are really easy to make, but they aren't as strong as tinctures. You basically just put whatever herbs you're using into a pot, and simmer (not boil) it in water for up to five hours, again depending on the strength you want. Then just strain and bottle.
Now, when you meant tea-based, did you mean made like tea (an infusion) or the ingredients including tea leaves? Because infusions are basically tea, if they are water-based, but some people use oils as the base. If using water, you just put the herbs into an airtight container, pour boiling water over them, let it sit for however long is needed for the strength you want, strain, re-bottle. Using oil is the same thing, except you don't heat the oil first, and you let it sit for up to 6 weeks, inverting the bottle each day in the same manner as the tincture. The difference is you don't want an oil-based infusion left in the sun. Keep it in a cabinet.
As far as the specific herbs you're looking for, there is nothing I can do to help you if you can't be more specific about the purpose of the potion.
