CocaCola or Pepsi - The human sense of taste & flavor

[symbolipoint]

TL;DR Summary

Wondering if most people can distinguish one from the other, or among yet other cola carbonated beverages.

Just the summary as written. My own impression WAS that Pepsi Cola was a little sweeter, and Coca Cola was spicier and slightly less sweet. I do not remember my impressions of other colas. I would be interested in other details which members may tell.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

No colas taste the same to me. I prefer Coke.

 

[symbolipoint]

No colas taste the same to me. I prefer Coke.

You must have very strong flavor & taste sensitivity, more than most people.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I have no problem distinguishing them,. Diet sodas even more so. Diet Pepsi is better than Diet Coke and Coke Light is overpoweringly foul.

 

[DaveC426913]

Yup. They're all very distinct to me.

I find Coke a fair bit sweeter than Pepsi, or perhaps Pepsi tastes like watered-down Coke.

The diets are very chemically. I drink only Diet Cola, so regular Coke tastes like a mouthful of sugar.

(Actually, I drink Caffeine-free Diet Cola. Better for my blood pressure as well as better for my sleep hygiene.)

 

[Vanadium 50]

o regular Coke tastes like a mouthful of sugar.

There's a reason for that.

 

[DaveC426913]

There's a reason for that.

Heh. Well, yes. But I mean in particular after getting used to Diet.

 

[Tom.G]

Many years ago I had a truckdriver neighbor. Some of his deliveries were to one of the above-named soft drink makers.

One of the things he would bring up in conversations was how the concrete loading docks were being dissolved by some of the ingredients.

Most likely Phosphoric Acid.

He refused to drink their products!

 

[Fra]

My overall impression is that coke and pepsi are easy to distinguish, I also find pepsi to appear more sweet and thus less balanced. Coke has a bit more fresh and tartness in the balance. But flavour impression is also personal, I thought a lot about this when i was into beer chemistry many years ago. Technical sweetness should be tested I think without the aroma impacting the judgement, I have never tested coke vs pepsi with a clamp on my nose though so Ican't tell. I know from beers however that some beers that are technically less sweet (accouting for all the various sugars and their relative sweetness) may be perceived as more sweet if it contains certain "sweetish" aromas. I think it's hard to judge absoluteness, usually one judges the balance, and a beer that is technically more sweet can taste less sweet if it's balanced with against acidity or bitterness.

Both coke and pepsi contains small amounts of phosphoric acid indeed, which has both coneservative properties and helps to get the tartness of coke. Big complex flavours typically need many the components in balance otherwise it becomes "flat" and one-dimensional.

If I am in the mood for sweetness, I prefer pepsi, but if I am thursty and wants a more balanced refreshing drinnk I prefer coke. I drink them both occasionally. Only some years ago I reluctantly switched to diet versions in these and coffe sweeteners as well. Help reduce dental plaque alot, and the effect was actually striking. And the difference it seems was not just sugar, but sucrose specifically is prime stuff for plaque building! A little detail my dentist never told me, i had to dig this up myself.

The Role of Sucrose in Cariogenic Dental Biofilm Formation—New Insight​

"However, among the carbohydrates, sucrose is considered the most cariogenic, because, in addition to being fermented by oral bacteria, it is a substrate for the synthesis of extracellular (EPS) and intracellular (IPS) polysaccharides."
-- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2257872/

/Fredrik

 

[symbolipoint]

@Fra, what you say about the composition of carbonated beverages also influences other people to stay away from these beverages.

 

[Fra]

@Fra, what you say about the composition of carbonated beverages also influences other people to stay away from these beverages.

If you talk about health, but like sparkling drinks, aside from the sugar many commercial sparkling mineral waters have additives with more buffer capacity which are also not optimal but if you are in a country with good tap water, a very nice alternative is to carbonate your own water. I do this all the time. The acidity of unbuffert tap water carbed just was gas, is not very high and shouldn't be an issue.

I have no principal problem with additives though, nature is full of chemicals. Life would also be boring if you had to stay away from everything. I see no concern with phosphoric acid in moderation, it is not something unnatural per see. But it wouldn't drink a gallon a day.

/Fredrik

 

[DaveC426913]

One of the things he would bring up in conversations was how the concrete loading docks were being dissolved by some of the ingredients.

Most likely Phosphoric Acid.

He refused to drink their products!

Wait till he finds out how many things water (the universal solvent) can dissolve!

 

[symbolipoint]

I have no principal problem with additives though, nature is full of chemicals. Life would also be boring if you had to stay away from everything. I see no concern with phosphoric acid in moderation, it is not something unnatural per see. But it wouldn't drink a gallon a day.

Are you REALLY so sure?

One might expect Phosphoric Acid to be an ingredient of some hard-surface cleaners and in some mineral-scale remover formulations (and I actually am aware it might be present in certain pharmaceutical products). One might otherwise reject a beverage containing Phosphoric Acid; and that citric or malic acids would be better. Fruits we eat, as far as I'm aware, do not have Phosphoric Acid in them.

 

[DaveC426913]

"Phosphoric acid is considered generally recognized as safe or GRAS by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ... Phosphoric acid can be used in products labelled as vegetarian."

https://www.foodingredientfacts.org.../sources-of-food-ingredients/phosphoric-acid/Food-grade phosphoric acid (additive E338) is used to acidify foods and beverages such as various colas and jams, providing a tangy or sour taste. The phosphoric acid also serves as a preservative.

(Soft drinks containing phosphoric acid, which would include Coca-Cola, are sometimes called phosphate sodas or phosphates. Phosphoric acid in soft drinks has the potential to cause dental erosion. Phosphoric acid also has the potential to contribute to the formation of kidney stones, especially in those who have had kidney stones previously.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid#Uses

 

[Fra]

One might expect Phosphoric Acid to be an ingredient of some hard-surface cleaners and in some mineral-scale remover formulations

Yes it is, but in concentrated form. Its often used as a less toxic and dangerous than the more efficient scale remover hydrochloric acid, (which we have in our stomach) which is a strong acid as. Phosphoric acid is a fairy weak acid.

/Fredrik

 

[symbolipoint]

"Phosphoric acid is considered generally recognized as safe or GRAS by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ... Phosphoric acid can be used in products labelled as vegetarian."

https://www.foodingredientfacts.org.../sources-of-food-ingredients/phosphoric-acid/Food-grade phosphoric acid (additive E338) is used to acidify foods and beverages such as various colas and jams, providing a tangy or sour taste. The phosphoric acid also serves as a preservative.

(Soft drinks containing phosphoric acid, which would include Coca-Cola, are sometimes called phosphate sodas or phosphates. Phosphoric acid in soft drinks has the potential to cause dental erosion. Phosphoric acid also has the potential to contribute to the formation of kidney stones, especially in those who have had kidney stones previously.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_acid#Uses

Nice additional find! So it's generally recognized as safe. But is that really safe enough? In the long-term?

 

[JT Smith]

Dentists will generally tell you that the low pH of sodas is bad for your teeth. But the details of dose and frequency and how much risk are important questions. It may be that the sugar is a bigger risk to your teeth.

Taste the difference between coke and pepsi? Really? Isn't that like a 50 year old question?

 

[symbolipoint]

Taste the difference between coke and pepsi? Really? Isn't that like a 50 year old question?

Probably, but a few people like to find clearly reliable information, but are willing to look for anything recent and interesting.

 

[DaveC426913]

But is that really safe enough? In the long-term?

Dentists will generally tell you that the low pH of sodas is bad for your teeth. But the details of dose and frequency and how much risk are important questions. It may be that the sugar is a bigger risk to your teeth

I drink no less than 5 cans of Diet Coke a day, every day. My last dental checkup was perfect.

(But I do think good teeth are largely hereditary)

 

[JT Smith]

I drink no less than 5 cans of Diet Coke a day, every day. My last dental checkup was perfect.

(But I do think good teeth are largely hereditary)

Maybe your day of dental reckoning is going to come. Or maybe you are a statistical outlier, perhaps due to genetics. Or it could be other practices compensate for your five-times-per-day acid washes. Who knows?

I floss about twice a year. So far so good but I'm not tempted to draw conclusions.

 

[phinds]

Forum decorum prohibits my expressing my true opinion of Pepsi. I only drink coke.

 

[gmax137]

Taste the difference between coke and pepsi? Really? Isn't that like a 50 year old question?

OK, how about tasting the difference between US Coke and Mexican Coke (high fructose corn syrup vs. cane sugar)?

To me, the hecho en Mexico version is much better.

 

[JT Smith]

Forum decorum prohibits my expressing my true opinion of Pepsi. I only drink coke.

View attachment 313821

That's funny. I always tell people (diet) Pepsi tastes like dirt to me.

 

[JT Smith]

OK, how about tasting the difference between US Coke and Mexican Coke (high fructose corn syrup vs. cane sugar)?

To me, the hecho en Mexico version is much better.

I can't say. The Mexican Coke is very popular here but I don't drink the sugar versions unless I really need the calories, which is pretty infrequently. AFAIK there is no Mexican version of Diet Coke.

 

[Vanadium 50]

AFAIK there is no Mexican version of Diet Coke.

Made with real Diet Cane Sugar?

 

[Fra]

OK, how about tasting the difference between US Coke and Mexican Coke (high fructose corn syrup vs. cane sugar)?

To me, the hecho en Mexico version is much better.

I know the difference between swedish coke and US coke.

One of my memories from visiting USA is that the coke you got at fast food chains (where they flavour their own local tap water) smells heavily of chlorine and it threw my throat ecosystem off balance. Not sure if pepsi or coke goes along better with chlorine :) I bet anything off bottle is better. It was similar in all the places I've been to, but all of them bigger cities.

/Fredrik

 

[symbolipoint]

I know the difference between swedish coke and US coke.

One of my memories from visiting USA is that the coke you got at fast food chains (where they flavour their own local tap water) smells heavily of chlorine and it threw my throat ecosystem off balance. Not sure if pepsi or coke goes along better with chlorine :) I bet anything off bottle is better. It was similar in all the places I've been to, but all of them bigger cities.

/Fredrik

Not certain exactly what you say there, but were any or only the CocaColas you drank were directly from cans or bottles; or were they from drink dispensers, like from a tank delivered through hose & spout arrangement (like in restaurants and fast food stands)? I am heavily guessing something you drank from restaurant or fast food place gave you Coca-Cola's NOT from cans nor bottles. And the shops were very careless with their equipment maintenance.

 

[JT Smith]

Fra is talking about soda on tap. It's usually a plastic bag full of concentrated syrup, water from the tap, and a CO2 cylinder to carbonate it on demand. The bigger chains might take care to treat their water but I'll bet lots of places just use plain tap water. And that water is going to vary significantly from place to place. It's got nothing to do with maintenance, just the process.

It's easy to tell the difference between Coke from a can or bottle and from a spout. Some people claim they can taste the difference between a can versus a bottle but I'm skeptical that would hold up in a blind test where the sodas are poured into glasses.

The taste changes with time too. Coke doesn't age well.

 

[Fra]

Chlorination is part of the common process of producing safe drinking water, but the level of residual chlorine left once the water reacher the taps in the homes, are very low in Sweden than in many some countries, USA seems to be one of them, although I can't speak for all states. I also think once you live there you probably get used to it and don't think about it, but as a visitor there I was shocked to sense the chlorine everywhere, from brushing teeth in hotel tap water, the hotel juice (even hotels with high standard did this) to drinking coke from tap at the malls fastfood chains (all of them).

As far as I now, Sweden use just tiny bit chlorine, but rely a lot on UV light and ozone to desinfect the water.

/Fredrik

 

[gmax137]

although I can't speak for all states

my experience is that the chlorine taste varies quite widely from location to location around the US. It also varies through the year (typically higher in summer).

 

[jafdevera004]

I prefer Pepsi since it tastes way better and more sweet than cola. How about you ?

 

[phinds]

I prefer Pepsi since it tastes way better and more sweet than cola. How about you ?

Yuch. See post #21

 

[symbolipoint]

I prefer Pepsi since it tastes way better and more sweet than cola. How about you ?

Who is "you"? Long ago, I sensed the difference. They were both 'good'. If I had the momentary preference for one, I chose it if available.

 

[kyphysics]

Summary: Wondering if most people can distinguish one from the other, or among yet other cola carbonated beverages.

Just the summary as written. My own impression WAS that Pepsi Cola was a little sweeter, and Coca Cola was spicier and slightly less sweet. I do not remember my impressions of other colas. I would be interested in other details which members may tell.

Have you heard of the Pepsi challenge that was done a few decades ago?

 

[kyphysics]

No colas taste the same to me. I prefer Coke.

I'd like to think the same, but I'm going to try a blind Pepsi vs. Coke taste test after reading this thread. Lots of Coke lovers surprisingly say they like Pepsi better with blindfolds on. I find Pepsi too sweet for me and I like the slightly bitter taste that Coke has. . .

But, who knows...maybe without the brand labeling and JUST my senses (blindfolded), I'd find msyelf enjoying Pepsi more. I shudder to think it'd be true. It would overturn decades of preference. . .we shall see!

When Walmart opens at 6AM today, I'll buy both.

 

[symbolipoint]

I'd like to think the same, but I'm going to try a blind Pepsi vs. Coke taste test after reading this thread. Lots of Coke lovers surprisingly say they like Pepsi better with blindfolds on. I find Pepsi too sweet for me and I like the slightly bitter taste that Coke has. . .

But, who knows...maybe without the brand labeling and JUST my senses (blindfolded), I'd find msyelf enjoying Pepsi more. I shudder to think it'd be true. It would overturn decades of preference. . .we shall see!

When Walmart opens at 6AM today, I'll buy both.

We will be interested what you find with your test.

 

[JT Smith]

I'd like to think the same, but I'm going to try a blind Pepsi vs. Coke taste test after reading this thread.

Do a triangle test. It's a little better than just A vs B.

One thing that has been said about the original Pepsi challenge is that by asking people to take little sips of each soda they weren't replicating what people actually do: drink whole cans of the stuff. So something that tastes sweeter might be preferred initially but when you have 12oz of it the less sweet beverage wins. Or at least that's the theory.

The non-diet version of Pepsi is of course the subject of the original challenge but I drink diet soda. And I don't need to take the diet Pepsi challenge. The difference in the taste between Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke is so pronounced that, although brand recognition does matter and surely does affect me, I know with certainty that I can tell them apart. Pepsi tastes like dirt to me. I put some dirt in my mouth when I was about 7 years old. I remember that taste. It's the same taste as Diet Pepsi.

The name "Pepsi" sounds flimsy and insubstantial. Definitely not something to swallow. Dyspepsia. Dirt.

In contrast, "Coke" sounds strong, invigorating. Cocaine. I can hear Eric Clapton cranking those power chords.

 

[vela]

I'd like to think the same, but I'm going to try a blind Pepsi vs. Coke taste test after reading this thread. Lots of Coke lovers surprisingly say they like Pepsi better with blindfolds on. I find Pepsi too sweet for me and I like the slightly bitter taste that Coke has. . .

When Coca Cola tested New Coke, which was sweeter than Classic Coke, most people said they preferred it as well.

One thing that has been said about the original Pepsi challenge is that by asking people to take little sips of each soda they weren't replicating what people actually do: drink whole cans of the stuff. So something that tastes sweeter might be preferred initially but when you have 12oz of it the less sweet beverage wins. Or at least that's the theory.

It wasn't really a fair test since most Americans already knew what Coke and Pepsi tasted like, and they're easy to tell apart.

When I was younger, I usually drank Pepsi even though I preferred the taste of Coke because I found I'd get an upset stomach about an hour after drinking a 12-oz can of Coke, but not with Pepsi.

The non-diet version of Pepsi is of course the subject of the original challenge but I drink diet soda. And I don't need to take the diet Pepsi challenge. The difference in the taste between Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke is so pronounced that, although brand recognition does matter and surely does affect me, I know with certainty that I can tell them apart. Pepsi tastes like dirt to me. I put some dirt in my mouth when I was about 7 years old. I remember that taste. It's the same taste as Diet Pepsi.

When I was a teenager, I tried a Diet Pepsi once because regular Pepsi wasn't available. I recall it being pretty foul. I had a Diet Pepsi once a few years ago, and it wasn't as disgusting as I remembered it. The absolute worst soft drink I ever tried, however, was Tab.

 

[gmax137]

In light of recent events, how about a Royal Crown cola?

Gimme an RC Cola and a Moon Pie!

Credit Big Bill Lister, though I heard it first from NRBQ

 

[symbolipoint]

About post #39, RC Cola,
I remember drinking a few times, and just recently tried a web search for "tast test" information. Nothing found, but as much as I remember, it was like Pepsi Cola. Not remember exactly. As good as either Pepsi or CokaCola.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

I don't think drink soda anymore (3 years), and even then a rare treat.

But had my first coke yesterday night a while. Great beverage! Which I highly prefer over Pepsi.

Now, even tho I have smoke for years, I could easily distinguish between Coke and Pepsi. I find Pepsi a bit too sweet. Now, RC Cola is the better drink!

 

[symbolipoint]

I don't think drink soda anymore (3 years), and even then a rare treat.

But had my first coke yesterday night a while. Great beverage! Which I highly prefer over Pepsi.

Now, even tho I have smoke for years, I could easily distinguish between Coke and Pepsi. I find Pepsi a bit too sweet. Now, RC Cola is the better drink!

Would you tell how RC differs?

 

[phinds]

When Coca Cola tested New Coke, which was sweeter than Classic Coke, most people said they preferred it as well.

Sure they did. That's why it was an abject failure as product.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Would you tell how RC differs?

Better cola flavor!

 

[vela]

Sure they did. That's why it was an abject failure as product.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/new-coke-fiasco/

Enter New Coke... It tasted smoother and sweeter than original Coke, more like Pepsi. Sounds like a good idea so far, eh? Well, it sounded like an even better one when the results came in from a battery of taste tests utilizing the new formula. People said they liked the new Coke better than Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and by a significant factor, too. Taste for taste, it was a winner.

So what happened? When Coke went ahead with its plan, an immediate and very loud outcry was raised. Long before they’d tasted a sip of it, millions of Americans had decided they hated New Coke. Yes, in blind taste tests people had consistently said they liked the new formula better. However, a soft drink is so much more than merely its flavor; a soda is also its marketing. Coke had spent more than a hundred years convincing the North American population that its product was an integral part of their lives, their very identities. Taste be damned: to do away with Coca-Cola was to rip something vital from the American soul.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm amused that nobody gives wine snobs a second though: "Aromas of dark stone fruit...with some blackcurrant and cedar...nay, two-by-fours from Home Depot...stomped on by the great MacDonald Berger..." but the though of telling the difference between Coke and Pepsi, well that's just crazy talk.

And what is stone fruit anyway?

 

[DaveC426913]

I'm amused that nobody gives wine snobs a second though: "Aromas of dark stone fruit...with some blackcurrant and cedar...nay, two-by-fours from Home Depot...stomped on by the great MacDonald Berger..."

My friend imparted some sobering wisdom on me. He said "Every vice has an element of varietal testing. Wine, cigars, etc. It's a fun and amusing hobby - as long as the hobbyists don't make the mistake of taking themselves too seriously."

 

[symbolipoint]

My friend imparted some sobering wisdom on me. He said "Every vice has an element of varietal testing. Wine, cigars, etc. It's a fun and amusing hobby - as long as the hobbyists don't make the mistake of taking themselves too seriously."

Just maybe, some people exist who have much higher sensitivity about flavors and odors than everybody else; and these people can really find the differences and identify the kinds of odors or scents or flavors more accurately. I can do something like this with some foods, but there are still some individuals who can do it more finely than I.

 

[phinds]

Personally, I thought it was an abject failure as a product because it tasted AWFUL. I tried getting used to it but absolutely could not.