There ’s no deny that cola aficionados have refined pallet . They can tell a vintage RC Cola just from the nozzle , and their cellars are sprout full of Shasta , Tab and Pepsi Kona . Needless to say , they were n’t expect this fashion . They ’ve spent years cultivating their knowledge Qaeda , and get refills at soda counters . If you ’re look to refine your carbonated smartness , though , mental_floss can help . In honor of Coca - Cola being invented today ( direction back in 1886 ! ) , we ’ve decided to clue reader in on the quick tricks of how to spot a Coke from a Pepsi .

Coke vs. Pepsi

The Dilemma : It happens clip after time . You ’re at a eating place and you ’ve need specifically for a Coke when you get handed a Pepsi , or frailty versa . You tell the waiter what you requested and he gives you the " what ’s the difference?“ shrug . Perhaps it ’s time you laid it on him . Time : Five minutes should do it .

Supplies : Just this teemingness of knowledge .

People you could Impress : Everyone sitting in earreach .

Article image

The Quick Trick : If you drink them side by side , Pepsi is always the sweeter of the two ( which is why people be given to prefer Pepsi in the Pepsi Challenge ) .

Coca - Cola was forge by an Atlanta pharmacist , Dr. John Pemberton , in 1886 . Yes , there was earlier a concentration of cocaine in the soda , but it was reduced to a petite amount ( 1/400 grain per ounce ) by 1902 and removed altogether by 1930 . The company changed hand a few times , and after Prohibition Coca - Cola was sell to the Woodruff household for $ 25 million . While both drinks contain vanilla , uncommon vegetable oil , carbonate water and kola nut selection , Coca - Cola maintains a secret ingredient : the mysterious " 7X.“ The formula for the cushy boozing ( 7X included ) is kept in a bank vault in Atlanta . employee who know the secret formula mansion non - disclosure correspondence before they get to peek at the recipe .

Good to eff : Coca - Cola was pressure to give up the market in India after a legal philosophy there necessitate that all trade - secret information be disclose to the government . In 1991 , India changed its earmark law , and today Coke and Pepsi contend heavily for the market .