Chicago loves Mexican Coke! (Tribune link)

It's in the Business section, so surfers may not see it if they don't scroll down:

Sugar wins out

An account is required.

Funny, in my paper it's on the front page, not the business section.

I wonder if they saw the Maxwell Street video. I thought the bit on Mexican Coke was the best part.

I'm tempted to do a blind taste test. If I get all the ingredients together and equivalently chilled, I'll invite folks to join me.

All items decanted into polycarbonate cups:
Canned Coca Cola
Glass 'collector' bottle Coca Cola
Plastic bottle Coca Cola
Mexican glass bottle Coca Cola
RC
Pepsi
Kosher-for-passover Coca Cola (what packaging is available for that?)

In order to get the latter, I may have to wait for spring.

Mike G wrote:Funny, in my paper it's on the front page, not the business section.

Paper? They still make that? ; ) On their Web site, it's "below the fold," linked from their business news stories.

JoelF wrote:Kosher-for-passover Coca Cola (what packaging is available for that?)

In order to get the latter, I may have to wait for spring.

I've only seen KFP Coke seasonally, in plastic bottles, and distinguished from regular Coke by a different colored cap (yellow, I believe). One taste brought me back to how Coke tasted as a kid.

JoelF wrote:Kosher-for-passover Coca Cola (what packaging is available for that?)

In order to get the latter, I may have to wait for spring.

Joy's Sis wrote:I've only seen KFP Coke seasonally, in plastic bottles, and distinguished from regular Coke by a different colored cap (yellow, I believe).

It varies a bit, year to year. Two-liter plastic bottles are most readily available, but some kosher markets will have it in cans. But only at Passover time. Locally, kosher-for-Passover Coke will be marked with the triangular hechsher of the Chicago Rabbinical Council.

Having done the head-to-head comparison, I'd say the Trib article is wrong. Coke with sugar is less sweet than corn-sweetened Coke, although the difference in sweetness is not marked. The strongest difference is that of mouthfeel. Sugared Coke is less viscous than corn-sweetened. It also has somewhat cleaner, sharper flavors -- the citrus notes come through more clearly, for example.

When I can get it, I prefer KFP Coke to imported Mexican Coke, because of freshness. Even in glass bottles, the product does degrade with time, exposure to heat and light, etc.

Do you suppose a letter-writing campaign telling U.S. Coca-Cola that people would be willing to pay slightly more for a Coke Premium made with sugar would have any impact?

LAZ wrote:Do you suppose a letter-writing campaign telling U.S. Coca-Cola that people would be willing to pay slightly more for a Coke Premium made with sugar would have any impact?

I would guess that Coka Cola would be a little gun shy of such a venture. Can you say Coke II?

I was thinking of a brand expansion. Since Coke II, they've introduced all kinds of stuff.

Here's a link to a recent thread about Coke and Dr. Pepper W/ real cane sugar.
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=10633#10633

I hate to tell you but ... you all act like this (Mexican Coke) is something real new.

I hate to tell you but it has been around for the past 15 years throughout the country. Ten years ago, I could get Mexican Coke in Cleveland.

I don't think that it is *just* the cane sugar that is the experience. I like the fact that you can get the product in a ***REAL*** bottle in a ***reasonable*** portion.

I will pay $1 for a 10 oz Coke in a GLASS bottle rather than a 20 oz plastic container. The experience is much better as the product is COLDER.

I guress it will be LaRosita this afternoon.

JoelF wrote:All items decanted into polycarbonate cups:

I find the best taste comes when I drink from a glass; no plastic! For tasting purposes, drinking it chilled and straight up is certainly optimal.

For everyday enjoyment, then ice to lightly dilute as well as rev up the bubbles, that is soda pop drinking nirvana ... at least for me!

Cathy2 wrote:For everyday enjoyment, then ice to lightly dilute as well as rev up the bubbles, that is soda pop drinking nirvana ... at least for me!

I must agree that a little ice does wonders for the occasional draught; diluted Coke is the only way to drink it - cold and fizzy (at least for me).

After reading all the praises of this mystery product I finally decided to give it a try. Many people say how it reminds them of the Coke of their youth. My younger days are damaged by the CokeII fiasco followed by joy with the "reintroduction" of Coca-Cola Classic. I even had the Max headroom watches, sunglasses, and shirts.(Weren't the 80's great)

For the tasting I procurred one bottle of Mexican Coke from Springbrook Market in Bloomingdale, one can of Coca-Cola Classic, and one can of Pepsi for comparison.

The Meixcan Coke was less viscous and seemed to have more carbonation. Lightly sweet the subtle flavors seemed to be more pronounced with a citrus finish which I have never noticed with the American product.

The CC Classic was your everyday run of the mill product, consistancy is key. I've always enjoyed this stuff, but if I have the option sometimes I'll go for the Pepsi.

Finally, the Pepsi was it's normal overly sweet self. I usually don't eats sweets, but allow myself the occasional soft drink (Ok it's really like 2-5 cans per day).

Overall, I must say that the taste of the Mexican Coke drank from a glass and straight from the bottle is a new taste pleasure for me. I don't know if I'll be buying too much of it though at $1.30 per 12oz bottle.

Flip

I'd left town a couple weeks back with my stash of Mexican Coke in tow. When I returned I couldn't find any at my regular haunts. Now I know why -- the Trib story!

I tried to score again today and had to settle for a Mexican Pepsi -- didn't cut it. Just another reason for me to hate the Trib corp.

(I'd of shared my stash with you guys though -- honest!)

Flip wrote:Overall, I must say that the taste of the Mexican Coke drank from a glass and straight from the bottle is a new taste pleasure for me. I don't know if I'll be buying too much of it though at $1.30 per 12oz bottle.

Flip

For what it's worth, folks, Mexican Pepsi and Coke in a 12oz glass bottle is available at the California/Milwaukee Produce Market next to the California blue line stop in Logan Square.

It's $1 per bottle. They have a number of other imported mexican soft drinks, including, I think, mexican sprite and others.

I agree with LAZ. Mexican Coke which is very similar to the formula of coke I drank as a child in the 60s doesn't seem more sweet to me. As a matter of fact, Mexican Coke tends to quench a thirst while US Coke tends to make me more thirsty.

The mexican Coke is lighter and more fizzy.

I think Coca Cola reintroduced Fanta to the US for the same reason. I think a large number of Fanta bottles were being imported from Mexico to feed the Mexican tastebuds. (I like it a lot too as it reminds me of my childhood. ) The use of Latin music in the ads is a clear giveaway, I think.

La Unica (1701 Devon) sells for 99 cents and will sell by the case.

Finally got my mitts on a bottle of Mexican Coca-Cola, at a little taqueria in Menlo Park, CA, attached to a supermercado. Nothing special enough about the tacos and tamal to make it worth a whole report, but I had to talk about the Coke!

Others have reported it as lighter and fizzier, but I didn't notice that at all. It's certainly no fizzier than 2L bottled stuff.

The sweetness does dominate: it's real sugar, reminding me of the undisolved sugar that sinks to the bottom of my ice tea. The flavor also brings out a deep dark carmel note that's not as evident in the domestic stuff. The pine/astringent bite that I like in Coke didn't seem as strong, and perhaps the cinnamon/spice notes were a bit higher. I really do need to do a head-to-head blind taste test.

re: Kosher for Passover Coke. It's that time of year again:

OffTheBroiler.com wrote:Chicago Coke fans need not worry — this year, the Chicago Rabbinical Council is having Passover Coke made with the cRc P-06 logo on the cap using local bottlers. (UPDATE! According to cRc, the Coca-Cola manufacturing run was done on March 12, 2007 using the old cRc P-06 stamping from 2006, but it is legit.)

source

Now the bad news...



I had heard that the Coke from Mexico was switching to High Fructose Corn Syrup. Was waiting for confirmation.

Wah!

I wouldn't take that as gospel, could just be the importer covering their ass.

The labels have always cited both. There's not much reason to switch to HFCS at a time when corn prices are so high.

Mike G wrote:The labels have always cited both.

That is simply not true. I have a bottle of Mexican Coke I got at HarvesTime about a month ago and the label says nothing about corn syrup.

Okay, routinely, and in my experience universally, they have done so. However, since it's not strictly necessary, but merely a choice to avoid the hassle of determining which is which, maybe some labelers don't once in a while. Never noticed it that way myself, however, where I've noticed the corn syrup mention plenty of times.

It's very common but not universal. A bottle at the depot today didn't have it, but I've seen plenty that do have it.

Mike G wrote:Okay, routinely, and in my experience universally, they have done so. However, since it's not strictly necessary, but merely a choice to avoid the hassle of determining which is which, maybe some labelers don't once in a while. Never noticed it that way myself, however, where I've noticed the corn syrup mention plenty of times.

Presumably, there is more than one bottler of Mexican Coke whose product is imported into the U.S. The label pictured above is entirely different from the one on my bottle. For one thing, the label above has no Spanish on it at all. Also, my Coke has 150 calories not 140 even though both are 355ml.

It could be that there are actually different variations of Coke in Mexico.