Ridiculous History: "CLASSIC: How Admiral Horatio Nelson Ended Up Dead in a Barrel of Brandy"

Podcast: Ridiculous History
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Release Date: January 17, 2026

Episode Overview

In this classic episode, Ben and Noel retell the wild and macabre tale of Admiral Horatio Nelson—the revered British naval hero—whose death on the battlefield led to one of the strangest posthumous journeys in history. Blending irreverent banter with historical detail, the hosts explore Nelson’s rise to fame, his legendary naval exploits, and the bizarre events following his death at Trafalgar, including the infamous preservation of his corpse in a barrel of brandy—and the drinking lore that followed.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction to Admiral Nelson and the Phrase "Tapping the Admiral"

• [04:17] Origins of the phrase "tapping the Admiral," meaning to drink directly from a liquor barrel through a straw—allegedly linked to Nelson’s posthumous journey.
  • "Tapping the Admiral is not poking a military official... it's a phrase from the Royal Navy. It's also called bleeding the monkey or sucking the monkey…" (Noel, 04:44)

2. Life and Career of Horatio Nelson

• [06:39] Brief biography: Born 1758, Norfolk, 6th of 11 kids. By age 20, commanded his own ship.
• [09:15] The Battle of St. Vincent (1797)—Nelson’s bold tactics, breaking protocol but saving the British from defeat:
  • “If they would have lost this particular battle, he would have gotten his wrist slapped, or dare I say, been put in the stockades.” (Noel, 09:29)
  • Instead, he was knighted.
• [10:51] Wounded by grapeshot, lost his right arm, and famously maintained command even while being operated on:
  • “After he had his right arm cut off, he kept issuing commands while he was on the surgery bed. And keep in mind, in the late 1700s, surgery is very, very dangerous.” (Ben, 11:36)
  • Nicknamed his stump "his finger." (Ben, 12:24)
• [13:22] Rises to rear admiral, defeats Napoleon’s navy at the Battle of the Nile (1798), helping cement British dominance at sea.

3. The Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson’s Death

• [18:50] The decisive 1805 battle: Nelson’s tactical innovation, facing French and Spanish fleets outnumbering the British (33 vs. 27 ships).
• [21:24] Nelson refuses to remove his insignia, making himself a target:
  • “It’s like you got a big old target painted on your back… if you were a sharpshooter on one of the enemy ships, that’s who you would shoot for” (Noel, 21:24)
• [22:46] The fatal shot: Musket ball through Nelson’s shoulder and into his spine.
  • "He gasps and famously says, 'They have finally succeeded. I am dead.'” (Ben, 22:46)
• [23:14] Surrounded by his men below decks, his last words recorded as:
  • “Thank God I have done my duty to gold and my country.” (Ben, 23:14)
• [24:32] “He was right there in the trenches with his men and he literally took one for the team.” (Noel, 24:32)

4. The Ridiculous Preservation: Dead in a Barrel of Brandy

• [25:10] Problem: How to get Nelson’s body back to Britain—over a two-month sea journey with no refrigeration.
• [25:37] Surgeon William Beatty’s solution: Place the body in a cask of brandy, add camphor and myrrh to help with preservation.
  • "They were able to shove him into this barrel of brandy and they added a few extra things to maybe make him smell nice, I guess, like camphor and... myrrh." (Noel, 26:04)
• [26:38] The imperfect process: Gases from decomposition caused the cask to “pop,” terrifying sailors who thought Nelson was returning as “a stinking drunk zombie admiral.” (Noel, 27:01)

5. The "Tapping the Admiral" Legend and Drinking Culture

• [30:37] Rumor: Sailors secretly tapped the cask, drank the brandy preserving Nelson’s body—thus, "tapping the admiral."
  • "Yes, literally tapping the Admiral. Putting little straws in the cask and just taking a little nip for the entire length of the journey." (Ben, 31:09)
• [31:54] Discussion on other spirits preserved with dead things, like snakes or worms; “corpse brandy” is a “weird flex.”
• [32:51] The legend grows in drinking culture: Navy rum gains the nickname “Nelson’s Blood,” pubs across England named "The Lord Nelson," and the phrase "tapping the admiral" enters folklore.

6. Myth vs. Fact: Was It Really Rum?

• [33:28] Widespread assumption that Nelson was preserved in Navy rum, but it was actually brandy (chosen for higher alcohol content).
• [39:30] Beatty himself responds in frustration in his book, clarifying that brandy was superior for preservation.
  • “Brandy is superior. Spirit of wine, however, is certainly by far the best… when it can be procured.” (Noel, quoting Beatty, 39:30)
• [40:31] Despite Beatty's protests, the rum myth prevails in public memory.

7. Aftermath and Legacy

• [32:23] Nelson’s death deeply mourned in Britain; King George III said "we have lost more than we have gained."
• [36:08] The musket ball that killed Nelson preserved as a relic.
• [36:42] Nelson’s elaborate funeral cost the modern equivalent of $1.2 million, reflecting his legendary status.
• [40:56] Auction mention: Nelson's "grog chest," containing personalized drinking accessories, sold in 2018.

8. Closing Reflections: Nelson's Flawed Humanity

• [42:07] Teasing a “dark legacy”: Later-discovered letters suggesting that Nelson was "not the best husband,” hinting at his complicated personal life.
• [42:39] Ben jokes about wanting to be shot into space rather than pickled in alcohol, maintaining the episode’s playful irreverence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "After he had his right arm cut off, he kept issuing commands while he was on the surgery bed. And keep in mind, in the late 1700s, surgery is very, very dangerous."
  (Ben, 11:36)

• "He gasps and famously says, 'They have finally succeeded. I am dead.'"
  (Ben, 22:46)

• "They were able to shove him into this barrel of brandy and they added a few extra things to maybe make him smell nice, I guess, like camphor and... myrrh."
  (Noel, 26:04)

• "Tapping the Admiral is not poking a military official... it's a phrase from the Royal Navy. It's also called bleeding the monkey or sucking the monkey."
  (Noel, 04:44)

• "Brandy is superior. Spirit of wine, however, is certainly by far the best… when it can be procured."
  (Noel, quoting Beatty, 39:30)

• "He was right there in the trenches with his men and he literally took one for the team."
  (Noel, 24:32)

• "Putting little straws in the cask and just taking a little nip for the entire length of the journey."
  (Ben, 31:09)

• "Corpse brandy is a weird flex. I would call that a weird flex."
  (Ben, 32:03)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:17: The meaning behind "tapping the Admiral"
• 06:39 - 14:05: Nelson’s early life and rise in the Royal Navy
• 18:50 - 24:32: The Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson’s death
• 25:10 – 27:01: Preserving Nelson in brandy; the voyage home and macabre mishaps
• 30:37 – 32:03: Drinking from the Admiral’s barrel and the legend’s birth
• 33:28 – 40:31: Rum vs. brandy myth; Beatty’s attempts to set the record straight
• 36:08 – 36:42: Preserved musket ball and funeral
• 40:56: Auctioning of Nelson’s grog chest; rum and drinking lore
• 42:07 – 42:39: Nelson’s personal life and legacy

Episode Tone and Style

Ben and Noel keep the episode light, playful, and irreverent—using plenty of puns, modern slang, and offbeat tangents—while still delivering detailed, engaging history. Their banter injects humor throughout, especially when discussing the more gruesome and ridiculous elements of Nelson’s fate and the formation of naval folklore.

Takeaway

This episode underscores the absurd intersection of heroism, legend, and rumor in history. Admiral Nelson’s life and especially his undignified, alcohol-soaked afterlife, became the stuff of British naval myth—fueling phrases, pub names, and drinking traditions that persist centuries later. And, as Ben and Noel show, sometimes the most ridiculous rumors overshadow the strangest of facts.

For more classic tales of weird history, tune in to Ridiculous History every week!