Is the Coca Cola video a fraud?

Quick Overview

The reverse-engineered Coca-Cola recipe, when tested, resulted in a substance that tasted strongly of caramel and was excessively sweet, failing to replicate the original soda's flavor profile.

Key Points: The experiment aimed to reverse-engineer the Coca-Cola recipe using ingredients sourced from online suppliers, including 95% ethanol (Everclear) and various flavor oils (Lemon Oil: 33.64 mL, Lime Oil: 26.81 mL, Orange Oil: 0.88 mL, Cassia Cinnamon Oil: 3.31 mL, Nutmeg Oil: 1.98 mL, Coriander Oil: 0.51 mL, Fenchol: 0.44 mL). The formulation required 100 mL of 95% ethanol and 89.3 mL of the custom-made syrup (Solution B) mixed with 42.13 mL of hot water (Solution A). The final Coca-Cola replica was heavily sweetened, requiring 929 grams of sugar, and had a flavor profile that tasted overwhelmingly like caramel, lacking the balance of the original. The extraction process involved heating the Coca-Cola syrup base (Solution B) on a hot plate (reaching 101.0 degrees) before mixing with the other components. The caffeine component was measured at 0.86g and was mixed with rice flour before being added to the solution. The creator noted that the final mixture was fizzy after being carbonated using a SodaStream device, but the taste was notably different from real Coca-Cola. The creator expressed concern over the toxicity of the ingredients, particularly the 95% ethanol, and mentioned that the recipe was being followed precisely from a source called 'Lab Coats'.

Context: The video documents an attempt by a content creator, wearing a chef's coat, to reverse-engineer the flavor profile of Coca-Cola using a recipe published online by 'Lab Coats'. The experiment is conducted outdoors under a carport late in the evening, utilizing various laboratory-grade equipment like pipettes and a magnetic stirrer/hot plate, alongside common items and ingredients like Everclear grain alcohol, various essential oils, and bulk powders like caffeine and rice flour.

Detailed Analysis

The video is a tutorial/story hybrid where the creator attempts to reverse-engineer the Coca-Cola recipe provided by 'Lab Coats' from an online source. The process begins with gathering numerous ingredients, including 190-proof Everclear grain alcohol, various essential oils (Lemon Oil: 33.64 mL, Lime Oil: 26.81 mL, Orange Oil: 0.88 mL, Cassia Cinnamon Oil: 3.31 mL, Nutmeg Oil: 1.98 mL, Coriander Oil: 0.51 mL, Fenchol: 0.44 mL), caffeine powder (0.86 g), rice flour, phosphoric acid (3.99 mL), and glycerin (11.26 mL). The recipe required pre-mixing ingredients into two solutions, A (ethanol-based) and B (syrup base). Solution A involved mixing the essential oils and Fenchol into 8.74 mL of 95% ethanol, followed by adding 42.13 mL of hot water to dissolve the caffeine/rice flour mixture. Solution B involved mixing the caramel coloring into the remaining Everclear. The creator humorously warns against inhaling the acetic acid (vinegar) fumes and notes the high alcohol content of the Everclear. After mixing the two solutions and carbonating the final product with a SodaStream, the creator tastes the result, noting that it tastes strongly of caramel and is too sweet, not resembling actual Coca-Cola. The experiment concludes with the creator showing off the final dark liquid in a small flask, implying the recipe failed to perfectly replicate the soda.