The Philadelphia Punch That Helps You Party Like It's 1795

First described in a Virginia official’s notes from 1744, the Fish House Punch is a Revolutionary-era punch reportedly created at the Schuylkill Fishing Company of Pennsylvania.

The drink’s recipe was initially kind of a secret and likely changed over time. The first time the recipe was written was in 1873 by the company’s then-governor, Dr. William Camac.

His recipe used 1 cup each of lemon juice, cognac, and light rum, 1 1/4 lb. of fine sugar, and 4 1/2 cups of spring water. The drink was served in a punch bowl with a big ice cube.

To start, dissolve the sugar in two cups of water and add strained lemon juice to it. Add the other ingredients, and add more water if you plan to serve the drink over ice cubes.