Coca-Cola... Mexico

[Fleet 500]

I was at a local Ralphs supermarket yesterday and noticed a small display of Mexican Coca-Cola bottles. On sale for $1.00 each.

I was wondering how it would be different from American Coca-Cola then I realized that it probably was sweetened with sugar rather than with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

Sure enough, "sugar" was listed in the ingredients and not a trace of HFCS.

I know that all Coke was sweetened with sugar years ago and that is tastes better compared to HFCS. From what I've read, the Coke with sugar is from Mexico and Canada.

I will open my bottle later today and compare it with the vanilla Coke I usually buy.

Here are two photos of the bottle I bought...

[pimento]

Coke's a little different all around the world, I can tell you that Thai coke is somehow a little smoother than Aussie coke, and they're both sweetened with sugar. I believe it's only in the US that HFCS is used.

[Fleet 500]

Coke's a little different all around the world, I can tell you that Thai coke is somehow a little smoother than Aussie coke, and they're both sweetened with sugar. I believe it's only in the US that HFCS is used.
Yes, from what I've read, HFCS is used because it's more "stable." Meaning price changes, not stable as in change in taste.

Maybe I'll try to find some Coke bottled in Canada and compare. Costco is said to have the Mexican-bottled Coke.

I also saved a few cans from the mid-'80s. I am going to check and see if sugar was still one of the ingredients back then; I think it was.

[johnnynumfiv]

Mexican coke is awesome. It's also interesting how different the beer tastes down there vs the stuff imported into the US. It's so much better there.

[Kitdy]

My Coke here that I just had a sip of says it has sugar/glucose-fructose, not corn syrup.

I tried some throwback Pepsi a few weeks ago that was made with sugar but I did not taste the difference.

[carspres]

I love the throwback Pepsi's. I buy them by the cases when I can find them. They are kinda scarce and only in cans that i've found. I miss the old coke flavor they had years ago before all the changes. The Pepsi t/b reminds me of those.

[NSXType-R]

You can still buy vanilla Coke? I haven't seen that stuff in stores in ages.

[CdocZ]

American Coca Cola switches to Sugar around now (during Passover) - that's why the caps are yellow, to denote that they are kosher for the holiday :-p Interesting little side-bit.

[taz_rocks_miami]

Mexican Coke is sweetened with sugar, a friend of mine down here sells them 1,000 metric tons of sugar a month :)

[Cobrafan427]

Why does the bottle look so funky? And i always buy throwback Mt. Dew, it tastes a lot better than the regular kind

[Fleet 500]

Why does the bottle look so funky? And i always buy throwback Mt. Dew, it tastes a lot better than the regular kind
Yeah, the bottle looks more narrow than I remember (I remember soft drinks in bottles and well as cans in the late-'60s and early-'70s.)

[Fleet 500]

Okay, I opened the bottle and tried some little while ago.

I do like it better than the U.S. (with HFCS) Coke.

For the last few years, my regular (soft) drink has been vanilla Coke. Someone suggested adding vanilla extract to it in order to enhance the vanilla flavor. That is what I do... add two tablespoons per 12-ounce can.

I think I like that "recipe" best. So what I'll do is keep that as my usual drink and buy the Mexican Coke occasionally for variety.

For the record, I consume soft drinks about 3-4 times per week and only one 12-ounce can (no "refills"). I am not a daily drinker of soft drinks... I think it is more enjoyable when there is a "break" in between.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It could very well be that because you're buying one of the unnaturally sweetened types of Coke (Diet, Coke Zero, Vanilla) that's why it has the HFCS. I know I drink the tradition stuff because the other add ons aren't desireable.

Having said that the mixture is slightly different between Canned, Small bottle & Large Bottle Coke varieties, due to different factories, stability of more/less product...

[clutch-monkey]

For the record, I consume soft drinks about 3-4 times per week and only one 12-ounce can (no "refills"). I am not a daily drinker of soft drinks... I think it is more enjoyable when there is a "break" in between.

soft drinks used to be a special occasion kind of thing.. wierd how kids have it everyday now.
i only drink it occasionally so i don't mind paying extra for the cane sugar varieties :D

[Fleet 500]

soft drinks used to be a special occasion kind of thing.. wierd how kids have it everyday now.
i only drink it occasionally so i don't mind paying extra for the cane sugar varieties :D
Yeah, I saw a poll question in a local newspaper recently. It was a question about a recent article about diet soft drinks. The question was "Do you drink a soft drink daily?"

52% of those who answered said "yes."

[ScionDriver]

I know Walgreen's around here is about the only place I've seen Coke in a bottle, not sure where it is bottled/imported from though. I do know it tastes different than canned Coke. I like Coke, I drink it more than beer.

[Fleet 500]

I know Walgreen's around here is about the only place I've seen Coke in a bottle, not sure where it is bottled/imported from though. I do know it tastes different than canned Coke. I like Coke, I drink it more than beer.
There is a Walgreen's in my area (actually several). Next time I am there, I will see what they have available. I never thought to look for Coke at that place.

[NSXType-R]

There is a Walgreen's in my area (actually several). Next time I am there, I will see what they have available. I never thought to look for Coke at that place.

That's where Coke used to be served fresh- drug stores. ;)

[DesmoRob]

When I drink Coke in Germany, I could swear it tastes better than in Canada. Psychologically, I enjoy drinking it from a glass bottle better than a plastic one also :D. Its so old school.

[pimento]

It tastes better from a glass bottle, somehow. They used to do 750mL glass bottles here, but they killed them off about 13 years ago. Now you can get 300mL ones sometimes.

[kingofthering]

The new grocery store 'round the corner has 500ml "Medio Litro" glass bottles at 89 cents versus 99 cents for the regular 20 oz. (about .91ml more). Frankly, I'd be willing to pay the difference.

Now, if you want something totally interesting, hunt down Kosher Coke - Coke produced for Jewish people celebrating Passover. I'm not too clear on the specifics holiday, but it's basically sugar-flavored coke that's been deemed Kosher and sold in plastic bottles. Haven't found some at the local Target, so I'm going to try Safeway.

As for why they don't sell sugar Coke the way Pepsi does Throwback, the guy in charge said something along the lines of the glass bottle and taste being a "reassuring" taste of home for Hispanic immigrants. While I feel that's a touch condescending, I do admit it's a really cool bottle. :D

Coca Cola: We Don't Need To Make A Cane Sugar Version Because You Already Have Mexican Coke - The Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/2010/10/coca-cola-we-dont-need-to-make-a-cane-sugar-version-because-you-already-have-mexican-coke.html)

[Fleet 500]

You can still buy vanilla Coke? I haven't seen that stuff in stores in ages.
Yes, I find it in supermarkets...