A heavily-guarded secret goes viral
By The Yahoo!Xtra Upshot
February 17th, 2011, 12:25 pm
One of the biggest secrets in drink history has finally been unearthed. It's the secret ingredients lurking in a can of coke.
Coca-cola was first created in 1886 by pharmacist John Pemberton as a remedy to help him overcome his morphine addiction.
The drink originally contained coca leaves laced with cocaine. But after a prohibition law in the 1890s, the alcohol was taken out of the drink, and cocaine-free coca leaves have been used since 1904.
The recipe has been kept in such secrecy that, after it was sold for $2,300, the recipe was placed in a bank vault to ensure noone can see. Only two employees, who aren't allowed to travel together incase they are both killed in an accident, know the ingredients.
Until now... Radio show 'The American Life' thinks it has found the secret recipe after stumbling across a 1979 newspaper article.
The article is believed to be the exact recipe, published from a notebook that belonged to Pemberton's best friend.
The limitations of newspapers back in those days meant the recipe didn't travel far... but now, thanks to the trusty internet, the whole world can know the secret!
The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/opinion/post/-/blog/xtra_upshot/post/37/comment/1
By The Yahoo!Xtra Upshot
February 17th, 2011, 12:25 pm
One of the biggest secrets in drink history has finally been unearthed. It's the secret ingredients lurking in a can of coke.
Coca-cola was first created in 1886 by pharmacist John Pemberton as a remedy to help him overcome his morphine addiction.
The drink originally contained coca leaves laced with cocaine. But after a prohibition law in the 1890s, the alcohol was taken out of the drink, and cocaine-free coca leaves have been used since 1904.
The recipe has been kept in such secrecy that, after it was sold for $2,300, the recipe was placed in a bank vault to ensure noone can see. Only two employees, who aren't allowed to travel together incase they are both killed in an accident, know the ingredients.
Until now... Radio show 'The American Life' thinks it has found the secret recipe after stumbling across a 1979 newspaper article.
The article is believed to be the exact recipe, published from a notebook that belonged to Pemberton's best friend.
The limitations of newspapers back in those days meant the recipe didn't travel far... but now, thanks to the trusty internet, the whole world can know the secret!
The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color
The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/opinion/post/-/blog/xtra_upshot/post/37/comment/1
