# Is the Coca Cola video a fraud?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qzcum2P1Ko
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/1qzcum2P1Ko
Generated: 2026-01-24T15:05:31.316+00:00

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## 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'.

![Screenshot at 00:04: A man in a chef's coat holds up a small jar containing the finished, yellowish liquid mixture, exclaiming that it is worth $6,000, or 'liquid gold', contrasting the perceived value with the makeshift outdoor laboratory setup.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-00-04.jpg)

**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.

### Recipe Ingredients & Measurements

- Essential oils measured precisely using a micropipette (e.g., Lime Oil: 26.81 mL, Orange Oil: 0.88 mL)
- Caffeine measured at 0.86 g, mixed with rice flour
- Solution A: 8.74 mL of 95% Ethanol + 42.13 mL Hot Water + Caffeine/Rice Flour mixture
- Solution B: 89.3 mL Caramel Color + 3.99 mL Phosphoric Acid + 11.26 mL Glycerin + 3.57 mL other flavorings (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Coriander, Fenchol) mixed with 12 oz. Coca-Cola syrup.

### Mixing Process

- The dark syrup base (Solution B) is heated on a magnetic stirrer while the other components (Solution A) are prepared separately. The two solutions are combined in a large flask, and the mixture is carbonated using a SodaStream device. The mixing process is highly enthusiastic, involving the use of a spoon and lighter to heat the caramel color mixture (08:08-09:12).

### Safety & Equipment

- The experiment is conducted outdoors under a carport, with participants wearing nitrile gloves. Equipment includes a hot plate/stirrer, a precision scale (measuring to 0.001g), pipettes, and various chemical containers. The creator jokes about the danger of inhaling vinegar fumes and the illegality of some ingredients (08:18-08:38, 10:15-10:23).

### Final Product Tasting & Review

- The creator tastes the final carbonated mixture (33:46-33:50) and concludes it tastes overwhelmingly like flat Coke, lacking the complexity of the original, although the carbonation step worked successfully (33:51-34:02).

### Cost Analysis

- The ingredients for the 25 servings of reverse-engineered Coke cost approximately $12 for the Coca-Cola and $4 for the Everclear, suggesting a low cost per serving (04:04-05:01, 09:47-09:53).

![Screenshot at 00:00: A person in a lab coat and gloves uses a pipette to add a yellow liquid into a small glass jar containing other liquids, surrounded by various chemical bottles, indicating the start of a precise mixing process.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-00-00.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:04: A man in a green shirt holding up a small jar of the final yellow liquid mixture, exclaiming its high estimated value of $6,000, or 'liquid gold', while standing near makeshift lab equipment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-00-04.jpg)
![Screenshot at 08:07: The chef holds up a measuring cup containing clear liquid \(presumably water\) and a dark liquid in a flask, contrasting the two volumes before mixing them.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-08-07.jpg)
![Screenshot at 12:12: The chef and the second person are engaged in a conversation over the table, with the chef holding the carbonated bottle and the other person gesturing towards the ingredients.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-12-12.jpg)
![Screenshot at 24:27: A close-up shot of the glass baking dish containing white powder \(likely caffeine/rice flour\) residue after the evaporation process, showing the solid remnants left behind.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/1qzcum2P1Ko/00-24-27.jpg)