Just caught a commercial for 1893 Cola. Looks like a product from Pepsi that is amped up cola. Maybe a ‘hard soda’ entry. Anyone tried it? Solo or a mixer? Opinions?
They have two products. They are “artisanal” versions of Pepsi, one regular and one with ginger.
I have hunted for them. I’m not a soda drinker but have to keep up with things like this. I have not seen them in ANY stores, including high end grocery stores; and a very good local beverage retailer said they only received a small amount, like bottles, not cases, and then now more shipments. (Westchester County, NY, and NYC area.)
They are not hard soda.
From talking to industry folks who have tried them, some like them, most don’t.
i’ve seen them up here in dutchess county at regular food or convenience type stores; may have also seen at a dollar general or family dollar (i know i saw mtn dew shine and black label at one of the dollar stores).
Doesn’t look like a massive product launch. I guess Coca Cola can afford to play.
Pepsi…
Oh yeah. Same same.
Yes, I agree. Don’t drink most soda. Although Cel-Rey, Manhattan Special, and Moxie are good a few times a year.
Real 1890 Coca-Cola had cocaine in it.
That’s where the coca part of the name came from.
It was a patent medicine developed to treat alcohol abuse.
That would definitely be a hard soda.
That is so general and misleading as to basically be false information.
Coca-Cola did not actually contain cocaine. Coca leaves and Kola nuts were the active ingredients in the original soda syrup. (But not main ingredients) Or Coca leaf extract and Kola nut extract. Coca-Cola contained cola leaves during its first 15 or so years of manufacture. Later, decocainized extract of coca leaf was used.
I never heard that it was created to be used for treating alcohol abuse. Of course back before the 1900’s many chemicals and poisons were used as so-called medicines or “health tonics.”
Cocaine is a multi-step refining process of coca leaves using solvents, acids and bases to extract and purify the coca alkaloids into cocaine. Plain coca leaves, used in teas, etc. are not generally addicting, nor do you get high; much, much, less than a cup of tea or coffee does from caffeine. The original coca-cola syrup contained around a 1/2 oz. of coca leaves per gallon of syrup concentrate. Leaves contain 0.25% and 0.77% of coca alkaloids, and you recover only a small portion of that in the refining process to make cocaine. 10 pounds of Dried coca leaves (a LOT more of fresh) when refined with water, bases, acetone, kerosene, ether, and acetone, sometimes benzene; over a 3-5 day period, MAY give you as much as 1/2-3/4 oz. of cocaine hcl.
If the leaves are chewed, usually lime or sodium bicarbonate is used as a base to activate a slightly bit more of the coca alkaloids, and make it available to be metabolized. When chewed or drunk it takes 2-12 hours for the cocaine to peak in the body. 60-90% of the coca alkaloids may be metabolized, but again, that isn’t cocaine, just the coca alkaloids, which have been proven to not be addicting, but just give you a mild feeling of well being, relaxation, and alertness.
Coca leaves have been proven to have dozens of valid, medicinal uses; and full of nutrients.
Decocainized extract of coca leaf is still used as a flavoring in Coca-Cola today. As well as Red Bull.
Kola nuts contain about 2% caffeine, and is easily extracted with water, alcohol, etc. Also several other stimulants. They have much more caffeine than coffee does. I had an African history professor in college who chewed kola nuts. weird, whacky, 60’s hippie lady. Excessively thin to the point of anorexia. Totally wired all the time. She handed out some pieces to the students. Bitter stuff at first, then eventually became less so.
Coca-Cola got you a lot more buzzed from kola nuts, or the added caffeine, than any coca alkaloids from the coca leaves did.
You know I don’t want to pick a fight with you so don’t take this the wrong way.
But I beg to differ with you.
According the the Wikipedia entry, Coca-cola was first introduced as a coca wine in 1886:
As you note, for the first 15 years or so Coca Cola used Coca leaves and extracts in the preparation of the product.
Coca leaves are included on the FDA list of food ingredients that are considered generally accepted as safe, so long as they are DE-COCANIZED. The list is available here:
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20
Naturally occurring Coca leaves contain small amounts of cocaine which is refined using the procedure you outline into a purer product.
But the the 1890 version of Coca-Cola according to contemporary sources contained natural cocaine from either the leaves or extract to the extent that is was considered an active ingredient.
It is my further understanding that Cocaine continued as an active ingredient in the Coca Cola formula until 1903 when it was removed as an active ingredient after an expose:
In the expose a crime wave including sexual violence with racist overtones was blamed on the consumption of Coca Cola, so it would seem that it was a significant amount.
Apparently the process to remove all the cocaine was not further perfected until 1929, so trace amounts of the alkaloid remained in Coca-Cola until then.
By the way, the expose of Coca-Cola and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, were part of the big impetus behind the 1906 passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act which outlawed cocaine in patent medicines.
The Atlantic Article makes further reference to this, as Coca-Cola was originally promoted as a temperance drink.
Being a temperance drink just means that it doesn’t have alcohol. Not that it was used to treat alcohol dependency.
There is NO COCAINE in coca leaves. There are coca alkaloids, which when subjected to a series of chemical reactions can be refined into cocaine hcl. Cocaine hcl is a refined substance, that is not naturally occurring.
There are so many falsehoods, inaccuracies, racism, sensationalism, and so much other crap in those articles that it isn’t worth my time to confront them. I am out of this discussion.
I really wish I knew you in the 90’s…
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The late 70’s and early 80’s were my days of indulgence of that sort of thing. Most of the 90’s I lived in the wilderness and was straight edge…
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Cocaine in the woods; I was imagining trying to rake up the forest floor.
Better watch that truffle hound closely.
He could be developing a habit…
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If anyone thinks Coca-Cola had blow in it, I have a bridge to sell you at half price…but wait! Act now and I will throw in a dozen magic beans! Hold on, you’re going to love my nuts. Buy before Christmas and I’ll throw in a slap-chop and flo-bee free of charge! How can you go wrong? Holy shit, I just uncovered a few bee-dazzlers! The next ten callers can dazzle their night away this Christmas! Act now
