Perfectly Replicating Coca Cola (It Took Me A Year)
Serves 1
Directions
- 1Dissolve 104 grams of sugar in a minimum volume of water.
- 2Prepare Flavor Solution A by diluting 20mL of the oil mixture (45.8mL lemon oil, 36.5mL lime oil, 8mL tea tree oil, 4.5mL cassia cinnamon oil, 2.7mL nutmeg oil, 1.2mL orange oil, 0.7mL coriander oil, 0.6mL fenchol) to a volume of 1 liter using food-grade 95% alcohol.
- 3Prepare Flavor Solution B by diluting 185mL Durkee caramel color, 150 grams food-grade vegetable glycerin, 43mL 85% phosphoric acid, 10 grams wine tannin, 9.65 grams caffeine, 10mL 5% vinegar, and 10mL vanilla extract to a volume of 1 liter using water.
- 4Combine the dissolved sugar, 1mL of Flavor Solution A, and 10mL of Flavor Solution B.
- 5Top off the mixture to 1 liter with cold carbonated water.
Ingredients
- 104 grams sugar
- 1 mL flavor solution A (alcohol-based)
- 10 mL flavor solution B (water-based)
- cold carbonated water
- 45.8 mL lemon oil
- 36.5 mL lime oil
- 8 mL tea tree oil (from Australian tea tree, Melaleuca Alternifolia)
- 4.5 mL cassia cinnamon oil
- 2.7 mL nutmeg oil
- 1.2 mL orange oil (regular sweet orange)
- 0.7 mL coriander oil
- 0.6 mL fenchol (any version of alpha-fenchol should work)
- food-grade 95% alcohol
- 185 mL Durkee caramel color
- 150 grams food-grade vegetable glycerin
- 43 mL 85% phosphoric acid
- 10 grams wine tannin
- 9.65 grams caffeine
- 10 mL 5% vinegar
- 10 mL vanilla extract
Equipment
micropipettesmall vialmass spectrometerExcel spreadsheetmixing calculator
Tips
- Tea tree oil is not FDA-approved, so use at your own risk. The creator is looking for a safer substitute.
- If using Durkee caramel color, use 185mL instead of 320mL, as it is stronger than Shanks caramel color.
- For glass bottle "Mexican" Coke, increase the lime in the final mix.
- For essential oils, ensure the sample is verifiably pure; brands like NOW and Aura Cacia are suggested.
- For fenchol, different CAS numbers should be suitable as long as the sample is over 90% alpha-fenchol.