Mexican Coke vs American Coke
One of the many things I’ve discovered here in Austin is Mexican Coke. Prior to moving here, I wouldn’t of had the slightest clue as to what it is. Now I can’t get enough of the stuff.
So I’ve decided to have a battle between regular Coke and Mexican Coke. Here we go:
Round 1: Appearance
As the old saying goes, “appearance is everything.” Even when we’re talking about something as simple as cola. Lets take a closer look at the two different bottles and see which one wins:
American Coke
As you can see to the left, the American Coke looks like any Coke you would see at a gas station. It consists of a screw off plastic cap, a plastic label, and a paper (I think?) sticker known as the label.
There’s a bunch of crap on the label about entering codes on the internet to win like a billion dollars or something. Does anyone actually take the time to read the codes off the caps and enter them online? I sure don’t.
Other than that, we have some nutrition facts, bottle information, and that’s about it.
In terms of appearance, it’s not that appealing.
Mexican Coke
Now lets take a look at the Mexican Coke. As you can see, the Mexican Coke features a metal cap (it’s not even a screw off), as well as a SUPER thick glass bottle.
Apparently they don’t bother with the sweepstakes in Mexico, so the label is literally burned? etched? built right in to the glass. Kind of badass if you ask me.
It has far less information on it compared to the American bottle. The nutrition facts are actually on a sticker, which I’m assuming is added once it makes its way to the US.
Overall, this bottle kills the American Bottle.
1-0 Mexican Coke
Round 2: The Ingredients
In round two, we’re going to compare the ingredients. I know neither of them are healthy beverages but we’ll forget about that for now. Here’s a closer look at the ingredients of each one:
American Coke
Water, high-fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, caffeine.
Mexican Coke
Carbonated water, sugar, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, caffeine.
As you can see, there’s only one key difference. The American Coke uses high fructose corn syrup, which is probably one of the worst things on the planet in terms of health. The Mexican Coke uses real cane sugar, which is at least natural.
2-0 Mexican Coke
Round 3: Taste Testing
Finally, time to taste the two and compare them:
American Coke
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a regular Coke so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I took a few sips and really focused on the flavor. For some reason, it tastes a lot more “fake” and has a chemical taste to it. The sweetness is more bitter and sort of reminds me of a diet Coke that uses artificial sweeteners.
Mexican Coke
Once I got done tasting the American Coke, I immediately tried some of the Mexican Coke. Wow does it taste better. It’s sweeter and has a less acidic/chemical taste to it. It tastes a lot more like a naturally sweet beverage such as juice.
3- 0 Mexican Coke
It’s Delicious
Well the Mexican Coke dominated this battle. I’ll continue to spend a $1.25 on bottles knowing that the taste is far better. Now if only I could find it by the case somewhere…Mexico?
This post was published on September 10th, 2009.
PS. Don't forget to check out Life After the Cubicle.
So you are addicted to the Mexican Coke, huh? I hear the Coke is better in Columbia,
I noticed that the Coke does taste different here, but it is from China and I couldn’t dare tell you the ingredients.
High Fructose Corn syrup also makes you tired, which is not what people
doingdrinking coke are going for. Coke loves it, since you then keep going back for more and more and more to keep that buzz going.Oh and real sugar + glass bottle will always taste better than HFCS + plastic bottle. I think in most places Coke comes in glass bottles with sugar, America just loves cheap crappy products I guess…
Oh, and if you want some truly delicious soda go to a Whole Foods or Stop & Shop and pick up the store-brand Blood Orange Soda. Best.Soda.Ever.
Adam,
I do not agree when you say America just loves cheap crappy products.
At least not when it comes to sodas, candyes, and such scarcely-nutrional goods.
Sneakers, Mars, M&Ms, Barbie Cookies and tons of other famous candy brands I just cannot recall right now are WAY better than most of Argentina’s current industrial candies. Oh yes, Pringle’s, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, also make their way to the top here.
All the food became industrial-like here, and the only chance of getting something decent is having it home-made.
Yet, it is interesting to know that this decadent process begun when large foreign corporations started acquiring the local candy and sweets industries.
If you’re looking for Mexican Coke by the case, they often have them at Costco. At least, they do in Houston, so I’m assuming they probably do in Austin, too.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Whenever I go to Spain to visit my dad I have coke from a glass bottle and it’s pure heaven – can’t get enough of the stuff but I never touch here at home with the plastic bottle. It never tastes the same
I just bought a case of Mexican Coke at Sam’s two days ago for $18. I was shocked they carried it. Sipping it as I type this, as a matter of fact. I might buy several cases and just store it away somewhere.
I would LOVE to try Mexican coke. I havne’t had it before but I am a HUGE coke fan. And to hear that there is a better one than the run of the mill kind at farm fresh, i’m down for trying it. I would like to see if they have any cases at bjs here in Virginia. Thanks for the comparison!
From one Justin to another, let me hit you with this tip: Check out http://www.popsoda.com. They do a brisk Internet trade in way-tastier-than-usual sodas. There are colas out there that blow the sombrero off Mexican Coke. Mystic Seaport is awesome. So is Journey Ancient Cola, but it has a lot less fizz than most sodas. Oh, and Sprecher Puma! Probably the best of the bunch.
Don’t let the 1999-lookin’ Web site put you off. These guys are awesome.
As Coca Cola in Mexico I have found so much in mexican products that I can recommend from Coke to Candy and Bath Accessories, I really tell you Mexi-products are the best!
Junk food is awesome, I love it, just remember that we have to consume them moderately
Mexican Coke is simply the real deal. Glass bottles and cane sugar. The Coca Cola Co.
would be wise to offer this and make a profit from it.
Food is awesome ?
It is awful !
I love mexican food in mexican restaurants (in the US for example) but in the country it is totally different …
Every Costco I’ve ever been to (Nor Cal and Miami) have carried Mexican cokes. I buy them as a healthier alternative to regular soda if someone comes over and wants a soda. They also don’t leave a disgusting film of crap on my tongue (the real sugar cane, maybe?) so it’s totally refreshing.
Nice blog post, thanks. LOL’d at the badass label observation.
I found Mexican Coke by the case at Sam’s Club and by the borrle at Walmart.
I think the biggest difference between the two Cokes was in the aftertaste, and boy what a difference it made for me.
It seems like while the Mexican Coke’s sweetness quickly ‘backs off’ and allows you to taste the other ingredients after drinking, the US HFCS version has a lingering sweetness that masks over these flavors until they’re gone.
I can’t really describe the actual taste, but for me it completely alters the drink! The only describing word I can think of is ‘sophisticated,’ others probably would agree with this. I also kind of think of this taste as the long-lost piece of Coca-Cola that made it so popular and special in the first place. The American version definitely seems to be lacking something in comparison.
It also makes me want to drink slower because the aftertaste becomes another experience in the drink. Thus I consume less soda and it is ‘better’ for me
Id have to agree 110% on this. MexiCoke Kicks A**.
I would rather have mexicoke any day. Its so much better, even than american coke in glass bottles.
I love Mexican Coke but for that matter I prefer any soda made with pure cane sugar. I know BeveragesDirect.com carries Mexican Coke in case you can’t find it locally although it is becoming easier to find these days.
I would like to try one folks but I don’t think I want a case! So real sugar is certainly less harmful than HFCS but its reported to have 12 teaspoons of sugar per 12 ounces… way too over the top. I also read that one soda with phosphoric acid requires a gallon of water to flush it out of your system. All military pilots are forbidden to drink diet sodas with aspartame= makes you dumb and slow. So its flavored seltzer for me.
One of the girls here at Uptake only drinks Mexican coke. I my self an a fan just to Get away from the Evil HFCS.
Mexican Coke all day its a hell better then american coke…..
Mexican Coke Kicks some major A**!
I mean, come on ppls! admit it Mexican Coke is the best out there
HFCS is bad news, but its tied into the system here.
The average American gets 10% of their calories from HFCS.
Any soda made with regular sugar tastes better.
Of course the original sugarfied coke recipe in a bottle tastes good. What you call Mexican coke you could also call Grandpa’s coke or Hawaiian coke or rest of the world coke. Our grandparents got the good stuff with real sugar. Everyone but us gets the good stuff with real sugar. Thats because we charge a huge tax on sugar imports and limit them severely while supplementing corn growers in the USA. Get used to HFCS. Its a worthless ingredient in almost everything processed. It’s tied into the system. And its a moneymaker.
The ONLY thing I like seeing brought in from Mexico!
A couple things from the coke:
1. Not all cokes come in glass bottles. Most of them come in can or plastic bottles. The glass bottles are called “retornables”. Basically you can return the empty bottle and recieve a discount when buying another coke. The bottle is cleaned and reused and you are basically discounted the price of the bottle. That’s sustainability right there. WHen I was a little kid, it was common that if you didn’t have a bottle, but wanted a cheaper coke, you’d get the store-owner to pour the coke into a bag, and save the bottle.
2. The label is silk-screened into the bottle. The reason is that this is cheaper when reusing bottles (look at 1)
3. The reason we use cane-sugar is the cheapness. Cane sugar is cheaper and healthier than HFCS! But the subsidies for corn in the US twist all of this.
4. It’s technically illegal to import or export cokes, but then again no one’s really doing anything about it.
5. The after-taste is a result of how fructose bonds. Fructose normally bonds with sucrose in cane sugar, which has about 50-50 of both chemicals. HFCS contains mostly fructose, when there is no sucrose to bond it bonds with minerals in the tongue’s cell. This is what creates that lingering “ghost”.
Try this cola called Thums Up. It is an indian cola, distributed by the coca cola company in India only. It is the best in the world. You can get it from most Indian grocery stores. Ask for ‘Thums Up’. It has a strong fizz and awesome taste to it!
I tried what would have been the *original* (Ok, not the 1886-1906 original) in the glass bottle, and it was superior to the cheap, plastic-bottled adulterated crap that we have to settle for here in the United States. Wake up! Manufacturers give us less classy-looking products in smaller sizes and for more money…what a country!
Back to the soda itself, far less acidic and “fake” tasting than what I grew up with. Can I say that I feel hoodwinked? If this is what my grandparents and great-grandparents enjoyed, then I envy them. “Gimme a dope!”
Fellow coke addict here,
I travel around Southeast Asia and it is the same deal with the coke here. Coke outta glass bottles tastes the best every time. I also think that coke out of a can tastes different. Coke is my best hangover cure, I call it The Dirty Dark Doctor when used to revitalize like this
Wicked Blog
Cheers
I’ve never had mexican coca cola, but I’ve tried coke in Africa, and I believe it has similar ingredients to the mexican one. It seemed to be a little tastier, and a bit more vintage in its glass bottle. I must try them mexican one next time I am in San Diego.