What is cola?
The name cola refers to a soft drink that usually contains caffeine, carbonic acid and a sweetening agent. The name cola refers to the cola nut, a caffeine-containing tropical seed that was originally used for the production of cola. Today, cola is available from countless brands and also in many different flavours, including vanilla, cherry or even mango. There are also a number of caffeine-free cola drinks on the market, which makes it possible for even more people to enjoy the aromatic soft drink.
Today, cola is not only a drink; it’s also a flavour that can be found in ice cream, syrup, gummy bears and other candy.
The history of cola
Coca-Cola, the best-known brand of cola, was originally invented as a drug by American pharmacist John Pemberton. He was looking for an alternative for morphine, which he had become addicted to during the American Civil War. We no longer know the exact recipe from back then, however, it is known that extracts from the cola nut as well as the coca bush (cocaine!) were used. Sugar and carbonic acid were added to make the mixture more palatable.
It didn’t take long until the first casualties emerged. In 1891, six years after the release of the drink, there were more than 200 reports of cocaine intoxication and 13 deaths associated with the consumption of Coca-Cola. With the start of World War I, many countries tightened their drug laws and outlawed cocaine completely. As a result, Coca-Cola stopped using cocaine for its production and started using the non-alkaloid parts of the coca bush instead.
How is cola produced?
Today, Coca-Cola is produced with a mixture of caffeine, vanilla, cinnamon oil, lemon, sugar and phosphoric acid as well as a few secret ingredients. The recipe is kept secret and is only known to two employees of the company. They are not allowed to travel together to ensure that the recipe is secure in case of an emergency.
Other cola brands like Pepsi, Fever-Tree Cola, Inca Kola, Fritz-kola or Afri-Cola have developed their own recipes and rely on other ingredients to create the desired flavour.
Cola in mixed drinks
Cola is not just great on its own; it’s also an important flavouring agent in many popular mixed drinks, including Vodka and Cola, Jack and Coke, Tequila and Coke, Long Island Iced Tea, Cuba Libre, Bacardi Cola, Black Sun and Whisky Cola.
Cola at Gustero
At Gustero, we offer a wide selection of high-quality soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, spirits and other gourmet products. That’s why we have selected the best cola brands for our assortment. Try the Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola, for example, which is flavoured with cola nuts, citrus fruit, vanilla and exotic spices.
