Chasing The Coca-Cola Recipe
One of the most widely recognised product brands in the world is probably Coca-Cola, and its formula is famously kept a secret through precautions that probably rival those of many nation states. There are other colas, and there are many amateurs who have tried to copy Coke’s flavour, but in well over a century, nobody has managed it. Why does [LabCoatz] think his attempt will be successful where others failed? He has friends with their own mass spectrometers.
‘The video below the break is a nearly half-hour exploration into food chemistry and the flavour profile of the well-known soft drink. It’s easy to name many of the ingredients, but some, such as acetic acid, are unexpected. Replicating the contribution from Coke’s de-cocainised coca leaf extract requires the purchase of some of the constituent chemicals in pure form. Its value lies in showing us how flavour profiles are built up, and the analytical methods used in their decoding.
He makes the point that Coke has never patented the formula because to do so would reveal it, but perhaps in that lies the real point. The value in a secret formula for brands such as Coke lies not in the secret itself, as it’s not difficult to make a refreshing cola drink. Instead, it’s the mystique of their product having a secret recipe that matters. Since this isn’t the recipe itself but something that’s supposed to taste a lot like it, that mystique stays intact. He’s not positioning his Lab-Cola as the real thing, so while we might have used a different label colour and font just to make sure, we’re guessing he’s safe from the lawyers. If you’re interested in the legal grey areas surrounding perceived infringement, though, it’s a topic we’ve looked at before.
https://hackaday.com/2026/01/12/chasing-the-coca-cola-recipe/
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a lot in my later years. Had some for Christmas. No other cola hits the spot.
Our family draws names for Christmas since it is a large family and I got a four pack bottles of Coca-Cola as one of my gifts--along with a sweatshirt for cold Wisconsin winters.
Every know I love coca-cola--but only in bottles 
