It is a common belief that the Coca Cola drink tastes different in glass bottles:
This leads to a skeptical question: does Coca Cola actually taste in a different way when served from a glass bottle?
asked Sep 12, 2015 at 12:12
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2You would expect it to taste differently.– Count IblisCommented Sep 12, 2015 at 16:47
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From or in a glass bottle?– bdslCommented Sep 15, 2015 at 7:00
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4I mean are you talking about drinking directly from the bottle, or after decanting the drink into a glass? If it's from the bottle then things like the direct taste and feel of the glass on the mouth and the way the liquid pours out of it may be relevant.– bdslCommented Sep 15, 2015 at 9:27
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1@bdsl most claims relate to drinking Cola served from a glass bottle into a glass, as is usually done in restaurants.– JonathanReezCommented Sep 15, 2015 at 9:32
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1Related: skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/3000/…– user25791Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 21:18
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2 Answers
There is a chance.
This may be due to the chemical composition of various containers that Coca-Cola may come in:
But is it possible that the subtle variation in taste that some notice among aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles is more than just a psychological effect of their soda-consumption rituals?
Given that the formula is always the same, yes, according to Sara Risch, a food chemist and member of the Institute of Food Technologists. "While packaging and food companies work to prevent any interactions, they can occur," she says. For example, the polymer that lines aluminum cans might absorb small amounts of soluble flavor from the soda. Conversely, acetaldehyde in plastic bottles might migrate into the soda. The FDA regulates this kind of potential chemical contact, but even minute, allowable amounts could alter flavor.
Your best bet for getting Coke's pure, unaltered taste is to drink it from a glass bottle, the most inert material it's served in. Even that's not a sure bet, though. Coca-Cola maintains strict uniformity in processes in all of its worldwide bottling facilities, but it concedes that exposure to light and how long the product sits on store shelves may affect the taste. So yeah, the packaging might mess with Coke's flavor, but we'll still take it any day over New Coke.
Source: Popular Science
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1Down-voting because this is not a valid and reliable reference. Commented Sep 12, 2015 at 15:45
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4The quote above seems to be primarily speculation about possible mechanics of how it "might" or "could" occur. The question is whether it does occur for Coke. Commented Sep 12, 2015 at 15:47
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1I'm still fairly new to this site, I suppose. Is there some sort of guide for this community I can follow to improve on posts?– user28632Commented Sep 12, 2015 at 15:49
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3@Texenox our guide is here. I think there's nothing wrong with your answer, it has citations etc., but while your sources are openly speculating ("they can occur", "could alter flavor", "might mess"...), you claim apparent certainty ("apparently so"). At best, your sources should sustain something like "it's not impossible" or "maybe".– SklivvzCommented Sep 12, 2015 at 17:00
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2@Sklivvz I have edited my answer to state that it could be possible now. I will admit, claiming certainty for these was a bit of a mistake.– user28632Commented Sep 13, 2015 at 8:52
Glass bottled coke sometimes has cane sugar instead of corn syrup
I think we can trust Wikipedia for this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Coke
Mexican Coke is bottled in a thick 355 mL or 500 mL glass bottle, which some have described in contrast to the American Coke plastic bottles as being "more elegant, with a pleasingly nostalgic shape
Coca-Cola claims that Mexican Coke exported to the United States is made with cane sugar, while some bottlers may use high-fructose corn syrup for drinks intended for sale in Mexico.[4] Therefore, while Coke labeled "Mexican" in the U.S. will be made with cane sugar, not all Coke sold in Mexico will.
I think it's easy to assume that corn syrup and cane sugar have distinct enough tastes, that some people come to the conclusion that coke tastes different out of glass
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5It is easy to assume that - too easy. Instead you need to show evidence that that is the case, and that it is not the case that the container makes a difference. You haven't even shown that cane-sugar Coke always comes in glass bottles and HFCS Coke never does.– Oddthinking ♦Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 15:22
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2Mexican coke in plastic bottles also contains cane sugar, as well as the "Kosher Cola" sold on certain holidays. Additionally the belief about glass bottles is spread worldwide rather than limited to the US. Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 16:59
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@JonathanReez Sadly, the practice of replacing sugar with corn syrup is also worldwide nowadays.– LuaanCommented Sep 22, 2015 at 12:26