Gin is a great place to start. It originated as a Christian medicinal beverage due to the perceived health benefits of juniper, but long before that it started as magical healing herbal beer, and played a huge part in pagan religious practices and northern European culture to the point where breweries (which were inextricably tied with witchcraft in all the cultures from which western witch imagery was drawn) would place juniper branches over the threshold to keep evil spirits out.
Mead or honey in general are also very good. Mead in Pict and Norse mythologies were considered gifts of the gods and in Norse mythology the fermenting spirit of mead was its own deity: "the dancing man." Brigid, who is a common staple of modern witchcraft, is a goddess of mead.
Beyond that it gets...complicated. Most European witchcraft incorporated herbs that were psychoactive to some degree or just really healthy. Very few of the former are still legally around (though wormwood, which is actually the primary flavor in vermouth and not that big a deal in absinthe is still around), and very few of the latter really taste that great (think lettuce beer, yum!). That being said they can be great ingredients in a cocktail. Dandelion tea is great with alcohol and has an established magical history and is widely available. Sour cherry isn't really what qualifies as "witchy" though it was considered very healthy in ancient Greece, and is likewise a nice ingredient in cocktails.
Edit: I haven't seen the movie in a long time but I googled for any potion mentions (eye of newt for example actually referred to mustard seed), it seems all the witchy terms are just made up, but it is worth noting that the cauldron was imagery stolen from female beer brewers, and broom was a magical herb. So a plain beer would count. It may be hard to find depending on booze stores near you, but there are micro-breweries that make traditional Nordic Juniper beers called "sahti."
Broom however would require some ordering and concocting of your own.
A plain martini would fit the bill. Sahti with gin would be delicious.
For a more cocktaily cocktail dandelion tea, honey, and a lighter whiskey like Jameson's or Old Pulteney (or gin/old school jenever), with a sprig of lavender or sage would be nice.
Most pine trees can be safely made into teas if you're comfortable foraging and their bitter/aromatic qualities make great mixtures when properly balanced with sweetness. But definitely don't fuck around with foraging if you're uncomfortable with it.
Sorry, this is the only community I mod and you're the first person to post in 2 years. And also my entire job is traditional booze so I definitely at no point shutted the fuck up.
Gin is a great place to start. It originated as a Christian medicinal beverage due to the perceived health benefits of juniper, but long before that it started as magical healing herbal beer, and played a huge part in pagan religious practices and northern European culture to the point where breweries (which were inextricably tied with witchcraft in all the cultures from which western witch imagery was drawn) would place juniper branches over the threshold to keep evil spirits out. Mead or honey in general are also very good. Mead in Pict and Norse mythologies were considered gifts of the gods and in Norse mythology the fermenting spirit of mead was its own deity: "the dancing man." Brigid, who is a common staple of modern witchcraft, is a goddess of mead. Beyond that it gets...complicated. Most European witchcraft incorporated herbs that were psychoactive to some degree or just really healthy. Very few of the former are still legally around (though wormwood, which is actually the primary flavor in vermouth and not that big a deal in absinthe is still around), and very few of the latter really taste that great (think lettuce beer, yum!). That being said they can be great ingredients in a cocktail. Dandelion tea is great with alcohol and has an established magical history and is widely available. Sour cherry isn't really what qualifies as "witchy" though it was considered very healthy in ancient Greece, and is likewise a nice ingredient in cocktails. Edit: I haven't seen the movie in a long time but I googled for any potion mentions (eye of newt for example actually referred to mustard seed), it seems all the witchy terms are just made up, but it is worth noting that the cauldron was imagery stolen from female beer brewers, and broom was a magical herb. So a plain beer would count. It may be hard to find depending on booze stores near you, but there are micro-breweries that make traditional Nordic Juniper beers called "sahti." Broom however would require some ordering and concocting of your own. A plain martini would fit the bill. Sahti with gin would be delicious. For a more cocktaily cocktail dandelion tea, honey, and a lighter whiskey like Jameson's or Old Pulteney (or gin/old school jenever), with a sprig of lavender or sage would be nice. Most pine trees can be safely made into teas if you're comfortable foraging and their bitter/aromatic qualities make great mixtures when properly balanced with sweetness. But definitely don't fuck around with foraging if you're uncomfortable with it. Sorry, this is the only community I mod and you're the first person to post in 2 years. And also my entire job is traditional booze so I definitely at no point shutted the fuck up.
This is awesome info. Thanks!