Replicating and Verifying a Reverse-Engineered Coca-Cola Recipe

William Osman 2

Introduction to the Replication Challenge [0:00]

The video embarks on an experiment to verify a reverse-engineered Coca-Cola recipe originally shared by the YouTube channel LabCoatz. The host, William Osman, aims to determine if the recipe genuinely tastes like Coca-Cola, how much it costs to make, and its overall difficulty.

• The motivation behind this replication is to test the claims made by other creators about reverse-engineering popular recipes.
• The host acquired all the necessary ingredients, along with additional ones, to attempt both LabCoatz's recipe and a personalized version.
• A sample of LabCoatz's pre-made reverse-engineered Coke was also obtained for comparison.
• The video promises to reveal if the recipe tastes authentic, its cost, and the effort required.

  

Creating the 7X Essential Oil Solution [1:25]

The first major step involves mixing various essential oils to form the concentrated 7X solution, which is a crucial flavor base. This solution needs to sit for 24 hours to properly meld the flavors.

• Gathering Essential Oils:
  • The oils include Brazilian orange, lemon, tea tree, lime, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, and fenchol.
  • Many of the individual oils had a peculiar "yard waste" smell initially, raising doubts about the final product.
• Measuring and Mixing Challenges:
  • The host used non-standard lab equipment like repurposed "drug syringes" for measurements due to the lack of proper tools like a graduated cylinder.
  • An initial miscalculation required halving the recipe, which then necessitated recalculating all ingredient quantities.
• Fenchol Preparation:
  • Fenchol, a more expensive and difficult-to-source ingredient, was found to be crystallized and required warming in hot water to liquify it before use.
  • The host explains that fenchol is believed to replace decocainized cocoa leaves in modern Coca-Cola, which were historically used in the original recipe.
• Aging and Initial Scent Evaluation:
  • After mixing, the essential oil concoction initially smelled "chemically" but after 24 hours, its scent improved significantly, resembling "Coca-Cola gummies" or "bottle caps."
  • This half-batch of essential oil mix is estimated to be sufficient for approximately 6,000 12oz cans of "pirated Coke."

    

    

Preparing Solution A: Oil Diluted in Ethanol [10:08]

Solution A is created by diluting the previously made 7X essential oil solution in food-grade ethanol.

• Sourcing Ethanol:
  • High-proof Everclear (95% ethanol) was used, which is difficult to purchase in California, necessitating sourcing from Arizona.
  • The host critiques California's restrictions on high-proof alcohol, deeming it a "Puritan law."
• Mixing Ratio and Process:
  • The target ratio was a 1/10th reduction from the original recipe: 2.1 ml of the oil mix to 100 ml of ethanol.
  • The ethanol was carefully measured using a 1 ml pipette, requiring 100 repetitions.
• Scent of Solution A:
  • After mixing, Solution A smelled like a "rum and Coke," indicating the blend of the oil flavors with the alcohol.

    

Preparing Solution B: Non-Oil Components [12:44]

Solution B incorporates the remaining non-oil ingredients that contribute to Coke's flavor and texture.

• Ingredient List: This solution includes caramel color, glycerin, phosphoric acid, vinegar (acetic acid), vanilla extract, tannins, and caffeine.
• Measurement Challenges:
  • Caramel color and glycerin were measured by volume, with glycerin requiring a density conversion due to being initially listed by weight.
  • Phosphoric acid (85% concentration) was handled with caution.
  • The host recounted a personal experience of temporarily losing his sense of smell after directly sniffing concentrated acetic acid in college.
• Caffeine Extraction Process:
  • A significant challenge was obtaining pure caffeine, as only caffeine pills (mixed with rice flour) were easily available.
  • Attempt 1 (Unsafe): An initial, risky attempt involved heating caffeine pills with ethanol over an open flame, aiming to dissolve the caffeine and then filter out the rice flour with a cotton ball. This method proved largely ineffective and dangerous.
  • Attempt 2 (Improved): A safer approach used a hot plate to heat the ethanol and caffeine pills, allowing the caffeine to dissolve. As the ethanol evaporated, caffeine crystals precipitated out, which were then scraped and collected.
  • The amount of caffeine extracted was less than desired, leading to more caffeine pills being processed.

    

    

    

Assembling the Soda Syrup [27:13]

The two solutions (A and B) are combined with sugar and water to create the final concentrated syrup.

• Sugar Content:
  • The recipe called for 37.1 grams of sugar per 12 oz serving, which was visually demonstrated to be a substantial amount, highlighting the high sugar content in typical sodas.

    

• Syrup Preparation:
  • Sugar was dissolved in water, followed by the addition of Solution A (0.357 ml) and Solution B (3.57 ml).
  • The mixture was then heated to form a syrup and subsequently cooled in an ice bath.
• Confusion in Instructions:
  • The host noted difficulties in following LabCoatz's video instructions, which were sometimes disjointed regarding water additions and exact timing for steps like heating.

Carbonation and Taste Test [31:39]

The cooled syrup is then carbonated and tasted for authenticity.

• Carbonation Process:
  • A SodaStream machine was used to carbonate water, which was then mixed with the syrup.
  • An initial issue arose as the SodaStream was out of CO2, requiring a new cartridge.
  • The water was carbonated first, then combined with the syrup to preserve carbonation, as per traditional instructions.
• Initial Taste Test:
  • The first taste test revealed the homemade Coke to be "a little flat, but the flavor is exactly like flat Coke." The host and his assistant found it remarkably similar to Coca-Cola.
• Second Carbonation Attempt (Against Rules):
  • To address the flatness, the host decided to directly carbonate the pre-sweetened syrup mixture in the SodaStream, defying the manufacturer's recommendations.
  • This resulted in an "awful," excessively carbonated drink that immediately foamed upon drinking.
• Final Verdict:
  • Despite the carbonation issues, the flavor of the homemade Coke was overwhelmingly described as identical to regular Coke, especially when slightly flat. The recipe was deemed a successful DIY replica.

    

Summary of Tools and Future Plans [36:03]

The video concludes by listing the essential tools needed for the replication and outlining future experimental goals.

• Required Tools:
  1. Heat source (hot plate)
  2. Scale capable of measuring two decimal points of grams
  3. Various glass containers
  4. A syringe with a pointy tip
  5. A 100-1000 microL pipette (1ml pipette) and tips
  6. A 500ml container
  7. Rubber gloves (emphasized for safety due to chemical handling)
• Future Endeavors:
  • The host plans a subsequent video to create an "improved" version of Coke that he personally prefers.
  • Desired improvements include: less sweetness, reduced sugar content (perhaps a mix of sugar and artificial sweetener), more spices, and specific flavor variations like black cherry vanilla or blood orange.