Elmo wrote:
> Anyone have an easy recipe for home made carbonated cola (with a similar
> kick as coca cola or pepsi)?
>
> With your help, I've solved the home carbonation problem and now endeavor
> to replace the "cola kick" that is so addictingly pervasive in corporate
> colas.
>
> I've tried carbonated lemon juice but find the visceral kick isn't as
> satisfying as that of a store-bought cola.
>
> In a previous thread, folks mentioned the "caffeine", or "high-fructose
> corn syrup" (aka HFCS) might be the ingredients in the manufactured colas
> which provide that addictively satisfying kick ... hence my endeavor to
> find a home kitchen cola recipe.
>
> As for ingredients, it seems two no brainers are the caffeine powders and
> the HFCS, both of which appear to be mail orderable if not in the local
> stores, however, this open source recipe for homemade cola (licensed under
> the GNU General Public License) doesn't seem to use either:
> http://www.wikihow.com/Make-OpenCola
> * 2.00 mL olive oil
> * 3.50 mL orange oil
> * 1.00 mL lemon oil
> * 1.00 mL nutmeg oil
> * 1.25 ml cassia (cinnamon) oil
> * 0.25 mL coriander oil
> * 0.25 mL neroli oil (similar to petitgrain, bergamot, or bitter orange
> oil)
> * 2.75 mL lime oil
> * 0.25 mL lavender oil
> * 10.0 g food-grade, NOT ART-GRADE gum arabic (thickener)
> * 3.00 mL water
>
> Which is the "essential" ingredient in the above that gives it the
> satisfying cola kick you find in store-bought colas? (Note: Snopes thinks
> it the leaf ... http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/formula.asp )


Well, honey and HFCS have almost identical sugar profiles (approx.
55% fructose, 45% dextrose), so that might be a good start*. Add
caffeine, caramel color, and carbonation and you're almost there.

And don't forget some form of sodium, so it makes you thirstier
instead of quenches.

Bob

--
*I know honey is pure and good, and HFCS is evil. It's not my fault
they are essentially the same thing.