The secret recipe for Coke!

[W1GUH]

Did NPR’s ‘This American Life’ discover Coke’s secret formula? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110215/ts_yblog_thelookout/did-nprs-this-american-life-discover-cokes-secret-formula)

So....what happens to the cocaine they take out of the coca leaves?

And, BTW, see how useful NPR can be?

[NQ6U]

Interesting, but it's not like it was all that big a deal. The whole "secret formula" thing is just a marketing gimmick anyhow. After all, Pepsi has been manufacturing a nearly identical soft drink for over a century now.

[W4GPL]

You're not one of those people who think Pepsi and Coke taste the same, are you?

[NQ6U]

You're not one of those people who think Pepsi and Coke taste the same, are you?

Nearly identical.

[W4GPL]

I don't even know if I'd agree with that. Pepsi has a very distinct flavor, imho. I think RC Cola or Jones is more CocaCola-like than Pepsi.

[W4RLR]

Interesting, but it's not like it was all that big a deal. The whole "secret formula" thing is just a marketing gimmick anyhow. After all, Pepsi has been manufacturing a nearly identical soft drink for over a century now.Not even close. My palate can tell the difference. Give me Coca-Cola or, in an emergency, RC Cola. Pepsi IMHO blows dead bears.

[ab1ga]

The formula is secret while in plain sight.

When Ray Kroc was still alive someone asked him about the "secret spices" used in Kentucky Fried Chicken. He's rumored to have replied, "Don't you think that if I wanted to know that recipe I could find out?" It turns out that Colonel Sanders' chicken gets its qualities not from the herbs and spices (mostly sugar, salt, pepper, and MSG), but from the cooking process (controlled ratio of oil to meat mass in the cooker).

The situation with Coke is similar. For small change someone could be bribed to supply gallons of the concentrate to a competitor for analysis, but competitors don't want to reproduce Coca Cola, they want to produce a better selling cola product.

[W3WN]

Did NPR’s ‘This American Life’ discover Coke’s secret formula? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110215/ts_yblog_thelookout/did-nprs-this-american-life-discover-cokes-secret-formula)

So....what happens to the cocaine they take out of the coca leaves?

And, BTW, see how useful NPR can be?
Sounds like it may be one of the early formulations, but it remains to be seen if it is THE Coca-Cola formula. Anyone willing to whip up a batch?

The article also said that the coca leaves used since 1904 do not contain cocaine. It doesn't say if it's the particular leaf or plant that's used, or if the raw form of the drug's removed in "pre-processing" beforehand.

So? NPR is useful? That's nice. Does that mean the government (ie the taxpayers) still has to pay for it?

[kc7jty]

Pepsi tastes sweeter and more lime juice than Coke which has a more cinnamon/spice flavor.
I don't buy Pepsi, but drink about 2 cases of caffeine free coke classic a year.
Do you know how many different Coke variations there are at present? Probably 12 or better.

16
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_types_of_coca-cola

[W3MIV]

Fresca.

[ab1ga]

Moxie.

[suddenseer]

I don't even know if I'd agree with that. Pepsi has a very distinct flavor, imho. I think RC Cola or Jones is more CocaCola-like than Pepsi.Have you tried a double blind hidden product taste test? I did this as a statistics class extra credit project. The data surprised me. All of the test subjects were surprised. Carl's "nearly identical" comment matches the data I collected.

[W4GPL]

Have you tried a double blind hidden product taste test? I did this as a statistics class extra credit project. The data surprised me. All of the test subjects were surprised. Carl's "nearly identical" comment matches the data I collected.I haven't, but I have gone to restaurants and ordered a Coke only to be given a glass of Pepsi instead. I always know right away that they've served me a Pepsi or an improperly mixed/spoiled Coke. Maybe one day I'll have the chance to put them head to head in a taste test.

[kc7jty]

they spoil the coke in the tests. next time i take it i'm gonna pay close attention.

[W1GUH]

Not even close. My palate can tell the difference. Give me Coca-Cola or, in an emergency, RC Cola. Pepsi IMHO blows dead bears.

They still sell RC Cola? Dayum...haven't seen it for decades. What about Dixie Cola and Double Cola?

[n2ize]

It's a shame that they removed the cocaine laced coca leaves from the drink. Cocaine, is very small amounts as obtained from a small amount of leaves and ingested orally as a soft drink, tea, or wine provides a very subtle and invigorating sense of alertness and very mild stimulation, very much like caffeine but somewhat shorter acting and without the prolonged jitters and restlessness that caffeine brings about in sensitive individuals. Sadly our nanny state, past and present has seen fit to "protect us from ourselves" in so many ways its pathetique.

[n6hcm]

Not even close. My palate can tell the difference. Give me Coca-Cola or, in an emergency, RC Cola. Pepsi IMHO blows dead bears.

this. i haven't had a rc cola in decades, tho.

[n6hcm]

Sounds like it may be one of the early formulations, but it remains to be seen if it is THE Coca-Cola formula. Anyone willing to whip up a batch?

The article also said that the coca leaves used since 1904 do not contain cocaine. It doesn't say if it's the particular leaf or plant that's used, or if the raw form of the drug's removed in "pre-processing" beforehand.

the second choice. if you listen to the TAL story they talk about this--coca cola's coca leaves are single-sourced from a factory in the northeast ... this factory is licensed to process the leaves and extract the active ingredient from the leaves.

[W4RLR]

this. i haven't had a rc cola in decades, tho.An RC Cola and a Moon Pie will set you free. Just ask NRBQ. You can get both here in the South. Publix carries RC Cola, and I can get Moon Pies by the case at Cracker Barrel.

[W3WN]

Have you tried a double blind hidden product taste test? I did this as a statistics class extra credit project. The data surprised me. All of the test subjects were surprised. Carl's "nearly identical" comment matches the data I collected.Some people truly can't taste the difference. I can.

Do you know that one of the reasons for the "New Coke" reformulation fiasco was to make Coke taste more like Pepsi, since Pepsi was starting to kick their butts, marketing-wise? Considering the aftermath, and the resurgence of "Classic Coke" (now once again just Coke), one wonders what they were really up to. If you can still find the re-labeled New Coke, aka Coke II, try it yourself and see.

And why both Diet Coke and Coke Zero? Coke Zero tastes almost like Coke. Diet Coke (which was based on the New Coke/Coke II formula) tastes closer to Pepsi.

[W3WN]

They still sell RC Cola? Dayum...haven't seen it for decades. What about Dixie Cola and Double Cola?
You can find it, but you might have to look.

Since RC & Arby's parted ways, it's been tougher to find.

[W1GUH]

Pepsi Cola hits the spot
Twelve full ounces, that's a lot
Looks a lot like a bottle of ink
Pepsi Cola sure does stink