Some of the stories of the desert fathers are wild, almost comical.

Like St. Macarius the Great accepting wine when the brothers offered it but then abstaining from water for an entire day, and then the brothers discovering this practice and not offering him wine anymore:

“They used to say of Abba Macarius that, if he was enjoying the company of some brothers, he would impose a rule on himself: ‘If there is wine, drink for the brothers’ sake and in place of one cup of wine don’t drink water for one day’. The brothers would give him wine by way of refreshment and the elder would take it with pleasure in order to torture himself. But his disciple, aware of [his] practise, said to the brothers: ‘For the Lord’s sake, do not give it to him for otherwise he is going to afflict himself in his cell’. When the brothers learnt [this] they did not give him [wine] any more”

-An Introduction to the Desert Fathers, by John Wortley, p. 94