Admiral Russell’s Fountain of Brandy Wine (1694)
In 1694, Admiral Edward Russell was having a rough patch. He was fighting with the English government about the lack of supplies and support during his time at sea. In response to his lengthy list of complaints, the government told Russell he would have to spend the winter in the Mediterranean. He desperately wanted to go home.
Instead of moping, he threw a party for 5,000 guests. The drink of choice was a brandy wine punch. But it wasn’t just a really good punch; Russell knew how to put on a show. The punch, around 4,000 liters (1057 gallons), filled a large fountain. Legend has it that the fountain was so big, a server rowed around in a canoe to serve it. On top of the staggering amount of alcohol, he also served 150 tempting dishes, and had 800 servants attend to everyone’s needs.
