Decanting

Decanting is the method in which a player combines partially full potions of the same kind to produce one full potion and one partially empty potion. For example, decanting a potion containing 3 doses and another containing 2 doses yields one full potion (4 doses) and one partially full potion (1 dose).

Decanting to 4-dose
As described above, players can use any partially full potion on another partially full potion to create a full potion and a partially full potion (assuming the total number of doses are greater than 4). If there are exactly 4 doses total, decanting will give one full potion and one empty vial. If there are less than 4 doses total, decanting will give one empty vial and one partially full potion.

In addition, Bob Barter at the Grand Exchange will automatically decant all potions in the player's inventory as much as possible when talked to (or via the right-click Decant option). Bob will decant all potions, including noted ones, for free - potions that cannot be noted (extreme potions, overload, juju potions, etc) can still be decanted, just at a significantly slower rate.

Decanting to 2-dose and 3-dose
Occasionally it is required for potions to be in 2- or 3-doses, rather than 4:
 * Barbarian mix potions can only be made from 2-dose potions.
 * Recover special, Super antifire, Super prayer, Extreme potions, and Overload can only be made from 3-dose potions.
 * Using 2-dose super combat potions, rather than 4-dose, can reduce unnecessary monetary loss in the Wilderness.

Players can create 2-dose potions either by decanting two 1-dose potions, or by using a 4-dose potion on an empty vial. 3-dose potions can be created by decanting 2-dose potion and a 1-dose potion, or by making the potion from scratch. 3-dose potions cannot be created from 4-dose potions by the player alone, like 2-dose can be, without drinking a dose.

However, Bob Barter (and Zahur in Nardah) can also decant potions into 3-dose potions or 2-dose potions. Players can either talk with to him or use his right-click Decant-X option. He will decant all the potions in the player's inventory, noted or unnoted, into the option that the player chooses, requiring empty vials - decanting into 2-dose potions will need more empty vials than decanting into 3-dose potions. The player can either supply the empty vials by carrying them in their inventory, noted or unnoted, or can carry money and Bob will charge the Grand Exchange market price for each vial he supplies. He will also decant juju potions in the same way, providing juju vials at their Grand Exchange price.

Before the Death Hats, Draynor and Upgrades update on 25 May 2011, Zahur was the only NPC to decant into 2- and 3-dose potions. Now it is significantly more convenient to use Bob Barter. There is, however, one benefit to using Zahur - her right click options allow instant decanting into 2- or 3-dose potions, whereas Bob Barter requires a dialogue each time. Thus for decanting large numbers of untradeable potions (e.g. extreme potions for making overloads) can be quicker at Zahur than at Bob - small numbers of potions may not be worth the journey.

It is strongly recommended to use noted potions and noted empty vials for players who want to decant potions in bulk. This often reduces the number of runs the player must make between the bank and Bob to just one. Again, like above, potions that cannot be noted can be decanted, just at a slower rate.

Decanting to 1-dose
Some potions, such as Super strength, sell for more as a single dose. However, Bob Barter will not decant 2 to 4 dose down to 1 dose. Therefore, single dose decanting must be done manually.

In order to decant to a single dose in one step, you must combine a 2 and 3 dose to produce a 1 and 4 dose. Have Bob decant half of the potions into 2 dose and the other half into 3 dose. Then combine them 14 at a time. You will then have to repeat having Bob decant the produced 4 dose into 2 and 3 dose.

Profiting by decanting
Due to an update, the money-making potential of decanting has subsided, but there are ways of making money; one way is to buy strength potion (3)s at medium price, decant them into strength potion (4)s, and then sell the strength potion (4)s at a high price on the GE. This method only works when strength potion (4)s are selling for a high price, which they often are.

Now it is very rare to find a good potion to decant to make a profit, though there do exist a few. One good potion is a super strength potion.

Some potions, such as a strength potions, will lose you money if you are not careful, although super strength potions are capable of bringing in a sizable profit.

For Free-to-play, buying as many strength potion (3) as you can and making Bob Barter decant them could make you a decent profit. Just remember to sell all resulting items; including the strength potion(4), vials, and the remaining potions that weren't decanted. Buying 3 dose potions in multiples of 4 makes this easier, as you are not left with partially filled potions.

Use the following calculator to determine which potions can produce a profit via decanting. If you aren't careful, you can end up losing hundreds of thousands.

Note: The table can be used for decanting from 4-dose to 2- or 3-dose - if the profit for a potion being decanted from six 2-dose potions into three 4-dose potions is, the profit for decanting from three 4-dose potions into six 2-dose potions is.