coca cola

At the risk of seeming repetitive, I'll admit that I've written about Coke before, but I couldn't resist a taste test with this signature beverage as well. I've had many a conversation with friends and co-workers about the availability of Mexican Coke in NY, which is easy to find in pretty much any grocery store. Some people say they swear by it and will ONLY drink that version.

Now I can see why.

Again, as with Sprite, there is clearly a difference between high fructose corn syrup and cane sugar when it comes to these sodas. Coke with sugar has a fuller, sweeter taste with a smooth finish. Coke with HFCS, sadly, tastes like chemicals. It has a metallic tinniness to it. It tastes flat. People: if you have the option of avoiding American Coke, then don't drink it. It just isn't good.

And yet, check this out: American Coke's bottle cap is just that: "Coke" with a (R)egistered trademark that could also be a Period. Coke. Period. The font looks slightly off, almost lazy. It's clearly not the official font for Coke, and I don't know why they would have changed it to something so bland.

The Mexican Coca-Cola, in contrast, has the loopy script that has been long-associated with the Coca-Cola Brand. Beautiful, classic, simple.

I also wanted to take this chance to highlight a few of the other Coca-Cola bottle caps I have, both from here and abroad. I won't re-hash what I've already discussed (Coke World!) but check this out:

Here we have Coca-Cola Classic and Coke Classic. What I find interesting about the Coca-Cola Classic crown is it highlights the "original formula," which probably has to do with distinguishing it from that misbegotten New Coke experiment in the 80s. I find it interesting because isn't the original formula with sugar? Not HFSC, which it clearly states as the 2nd ingredient. In other words, it's a bit of false advertising, clearly not derived from the classic formula that the Coke company keeps hidden in a vault somewhere in Atlanta.

Coke Classic has the signature white twisty line, and it's the font I remember from my youth. Nice.

I also have a stash of older Coca-Cola crowns: one red, one silver. The red one is also South American: I think Michael got it on a trip to Chile (it says Talca on the side!). And the silver Coca-Cola lists its ingredients as water, sugar... so you know it's, like, classic.

It really is fascinating to do the side-by-side taste test. And even if you think you don't have a sophisticated palate, try it if you can.  You'll be blown away. Trust me.

**P.S.  Happy Valentines Day, everyone.  Red Coca-Cola crowns for V Day, right?!

coca cola

I'm oddly excited to add another Coca Cola cap to my collection. Last weekend, Michael and the men in his family took their annual baseball trip, this year to Atlanta to see The Braves. It was Michael's first trip to ATL (I went back in the early 2000s to visit a friend) and I told him a must-see was The World of Coke. *

Now I admit that I don't remember getting a bottle of Coca Cola at the end of the tour, but apparently you do. And what do you get along with that bottle of Coke? An only available at the factory World of Coca Cola Bottle Cap. And who got their caps? Yours truly!  Apparently Michael learned all about the history of Coca Cola, how the secret formula is made ONLY in Atlanta, and then shipped out to different places all over the world, where they add their own water and sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, depending on where you are). And there are very few people who actually know the secret formula. Except maybe the folks at This American Life.

Anyway, this just feeds into the Coca Cola collection craze that so many people have. Slap a Coca Cola label on something, or the polar bear or Santa Claus, and people go nuts for it. One of my favorite reality shows is American Pickers, and I don't think an episode goes by without them seeing some sort of Coca Cola sign. (I've since learned that porcelain signs are the best, for reasons that escape me. A side note about American Pickers -- do you think they ever find bottle cap collections?!?  Do they want to sell said collections to me?? I'm so curious!)

So, fellow bottle cap collectors -- how many Coca Cola caps do you have? Do you seek them out?

* Michael will be guest blogging later this week about some of the crowns he got for me! This week is officially Atlanta week. Get pumped.

coke, diet coke and sprite

I figure you can't have a blog about bottle caps and not have a post on one of the most universally recognized brands in the world: Coca-Cola. There have been literally thousands of different types of Coke bottle caps over the years. Since I have only just started collecting, I'm well aware that I don't have the knowledge that my dedicated readers might have. This sampling is simply from around my neighborhood, which has a nice variety nonetheless.

 

It's been a while since I've actually had a Coke or a Diet Coke, and it's been even longer since I've had one out of a glass bottle.  I recall a few years ago when I took a trip to Israel, my sister and I, after a long day of walking around in the heat, took a break and had Diet Cokes in a plaza. There might even be photo documentation, but I'm not sure where it is!  Another memory was from a much earlier trip to Israel, when my whole family was sitting in a rug shop.  The owner of the shop was a friend of the family, and the boy who worked for him brought us four bottles of Coca Cola on a beautiful copper tray.  I think I was more excited about the tray at the time. Now I would have been excited about the Israeli bottle cap.

It is funny.  I recently listened to an episode of This American Life about the (possible) discovery of the original recipe for Coca Cola. One of the topics discussed was how taste-tests of Coke brings back so many childhood memories.  My experience is no different.  People really do associate Coca Cola with childhood....

These older Coke and Sprite caps were purchased in bulk via ebay. Always a good place to help further your collection.  My one complaint was that there were quite a few duplicates in the lot, so I didn't get as many originals as I would have liked.  It just means I'll have to keep scouring for additional caps!

International versions (from Chile!):

I would like to make a side note about bodegas today.  It has been brought to my attention that NYC bodegas are a dying breed. Many of my more unusual bottle caps (as well as your standard Cokes and Sprites) are purchased in bodegas across the city. Please support your local bodega!