Out of curiosity, I looked into the history of Cola...
Coca-Cola was born in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was created by Dr. John Pemberton, a pharmacist and Confederate veteran. Originally sold as a medicinal tonic, it was meant to help with headaches, fatigue, and nervous conditions.
His first versions contained:
Coca leaf extract (yes, the same plant cocaine comes from, though it was legal and widely used in tonics at the time)
Kola nut extract, a West African nut rich in caffeine, gives “Coca-Cola” its name
A blend of citrus oils and spices, a formula later codified as the famous “Merchandise 7X” flavour
In 1888, the company passed to Asa Candler, who removed the cocaine (by using de-cocainized coca leaves) and turned Coca-Cola into the global soft drink empire it is today.
Original recipe Source: The American Life
So I made a cola syrup from whole, natural ingredients,
inspired by the rich, aromatic, and complex 19th-century flavours, before artificial flavourings took over.
Great for mixing with soda water, mocktails, cocktails, or gifting in vintage-style bottles.
Great for mixing with soda water, Mocktails or cocktails, or
gifting in vintage-style bottles
🥤 Old-Fashioned Coca-Cola Style Syrup (from Fresh Ingredients)
A natural recreation of the classic 19th-century cola flavour.
🍊 Ingredients (Makes ~2 cups syrup)
🍋 Citrus & Fruit:
Zest of 1 organic orange
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
🌿 Roots & Spices:
1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 small cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1/2 tsp coriander seeds (crushed)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried lavender flowers (or a small piece of orange blossom, if available)
1/2 split vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
🍯 Syrup Base:
1½ cups organic cane sugar
1½ cups filtered water
1 tbsp molasses (for deep flavour)
1–2 tbsp caramelized sugar (for colour & burnt sugar note)*
Optional: 1 tsp powdered kola nut (adds authentic caffeine and bitter note)
🧑🍳 To caramelise sugar:
Heat 2 tbsp sugar in a dry pan until melted and dark amber, then immediately stir into the syrup while hot.
🔥 Instructions
Simmer the flavour infusion:
In a pot, combine citrus zests, ginger, spices, lavender, vanilla pod (if using), and water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, uncovered.
Strain & sweeten:
Strain through a fine mesh or cheesecloth.
Return the liquid to the pot. Add sugar, molasses, citrus juices, and caramelized sugar. Stir until fully dissolved.
Add vanilla extract now (if you didn’t use a vanilla pod).
Stir in powdered kola nut, if using.
Cool & bottle:
Let cool fully and store in a sterilised glass bottle or jar. Refrigerate for up to 2–3 weeks.
🧊 To Serve:
Mix 1 part syrup with 4 parts chilled sparkling water. Adjust the sweetness to taste. Garnish with citrus if desired.
Homemade Coke!
I was sipping and remembering when "cola" was a botanical
brew.
This tastes lovely, has no toxic ingredients, and doesn’t harm the environment.
Have a lovely day,
Mariah 💗😊
Some References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula
https://parade.com/17909/markpendergrast/the-secret-coca-cola-formula-revealed/
This post has been shared on Reddit by @theworldaroundme through the HivePosh initiative.
I'm gonna try this at home hehe
Se ve delicioso 😋🤤
It may sounds funny but one of my dream is to make my own coca-cola at home. Lol 🤣… I guess this is a sign that I should make mine too and enjoy my own refreshing drink.
Haha, probably, now here's your recipe! 🤣
Wow amazing, I gonna try this and it's healthy for everyone, more of the time Im using this spices but in deffirent way for a healthy leaving.. definitely I will try this.. by the way let me introduce myself I'm @maryam28 new here in hive...
Hello @maryam28 😊
Hello nice to meet you...
Oh! This is amazing! You took the time to trace cola back to its roots and recreate it using whole natural ingredients. Now you’ve recreated that old world charm without the additives and artificial stuff.
Thank you 😊
🎉🎉🥳 Congratulations 🥳🎊🎊
Your post has just been curated and upvoted by Ecency
keep up the good work
Join us on the Ecency Discord
Many thanks 😊
Woah that's insane, great work here and hat down, must be excellent
Thank you, Sir King Dragon Lord. haha! Yes, tasted nice!😀
Lol it doesn't sound evil enough that title 😭
Ask Acid or @x-rain to change that, maybe Sir King Davideownzall, dragon lord of endless dread!
I am happy with mine, Mother of Dragons, Honour thy mother! 🤣
Dragon lord of sins🤣
Great post and awesome from your real profile - appreciate or surprised about the time people spend with dedicated reddit accounts - I could not do that everyday. But fun to watch the competition on top though.
Re Coke original recipe - done that in my youth and even more with the ecipe book of all times from Germany.
Thank you dear @uwelang, yes I like sharing my creations on Reddit as it does help both sides, I think. Yes, it can be exhausting if done every day. I usually do it when on days off or in between tasks, and incorporate a little into my everyday activities. Yes, it is fun to watch, I think, and one day I'll just watch with you! And wow! Well done for making Coke too in your youth, and that German recipe is interesting, are they fairly similar in ingredients?
WOW THIS IS SUPERB! you made your own version of coca cola then it only mean we can make it at home too.
Hi, aww thanks, yes definitely make it, it is fun to make your own! 😊