Perhaps because they are so similar, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have been in intense competition for their lovers for decades. Learning how to taste the difference between these two famous sodas is a great thing as a show-off trick or just for personal enjoyment. But keep in mind that the differences are very slight - in a blind eye test, most people couldn't tell which was a Coca-Cola and which was a Pepsi.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Judging the Taste
Step 1. Assess the quality of the taste
Coca-Cola and Pepsi taste quite similar, but not quite the same. Start by sipping your drink. Concentrate on the taste - ask yourself, "What other food or drink tasted like this?" Everyone's sense of taste is different, but some well-known comparisons are as follows:
- Flavor Coca-Cola often considered similar to the taste of raisins with a touch of vanilla.
- Flavor Pepsi often considered similar to the taste of citrus fruits.
Step 2. Assess the intensity
The taste of soda isn't just a matter of being similar to other things - it's also about how it tastes in your mouth. Drink your soda again. Concentrate on how it tastes as the soda travels across your tongue and down your throat. Again, everyone's opinion is different, but some common observations are as follows:
- Coca-Cola has a taste that can be said to be "smoother." The taste increases slowly and fades gently. Coca-Cola will flow through your throat easily.
- Pepsi has a taste that many people define as a "sharper" taste. It felt like "striking" more strongly - increasing like a sudden "explosion". Pepsi will feel stronger as it flows down your throat.
Step 3. Assess the sweetness level
Drink one more time. This time, concentrate on the sugar content in it. Does the sweetness spread and "take over," or is it less pronounced? This can be difficult to judge unless the two drinks are in front of you for you to compare. According to the official nutritional information:
- Coca-Cola It has less sugar, so it's not too sweet.
- Pepsi has a little more sugar, so it's a little sweeter.
Step 4. Feel the level of carbonation
Hold the soda in your mouth for a few seconds after sipping it. Concentrate on how the carbonated foam feels. Is the soda quite foamy, or is it a little "flatter" than you usually feel with sodas? It's also hard to spot unless you have the two drinks to compare. Take a look at the following explanation:
- Coca-Cola has more carbonation, so it's a little more foamy.
- Pepsi has less carbonation, so it's a little more "flat."
Step 5. Breathe in the aroma
If you're still unsure, try inhaling the aroma of your drink while shaking the glass slowly (like a wine connoisseur). This will release more aromatic chemicals into the air so your nose can catch them. Concentrate on the scent - if you had to choose, would it remind you of raisins or vanilla (like Coca-Cola) or citrus fruit (like Pepsi)?
Method 2 of 2: Doing a Taste Test
Step 1. Buy two sodas to compare
As explained above, all the minor differences between Coca-Cola and Pepsi are easier (though not exactly easy) to spot when you can compare the two drinks (rather than just drinking one and trying to guess what soda it is). To better tell the difference between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have both drinks ready to drink so you can try one, then try the other right away.
If you're doing this for fun, ask a friend to close your eyes and shuffle the two cans so you can't tell which one is Coca-Cola and which is Pepsi. If you're practicing to be able to try to tell the difference between the two drinks at a later date, you don't need to wear a blindfold
Step 2. See which drink you like more after trying to take a sip
All you have to do first is take a small sip of each drink. Although everyone's sense of taste is different, this test is not as random as you might think. Take a look below:
Statistically, more people like the taste of Pepsi after one sip. The sweeter and sharper taste makes a stronger impression. It can even increase excitability in the part of the brain that functions to assess taste
Step 3. See which one you like more after drinking it as much as you want
Now, continue to drink both sodas until they are finished or until you feel bloated. Keep in mind which soda is more comfortable to drink in large quantities. If your choices are reversed (i.e. you prefer one soda after one sip but prefer another after drinking more), you're like most people. Take a look below:
- Statistically, more people tend to like Coca-Cola by drinking the entire can or more. Its milder, less sweet taste makes it easier to drink in large quantities.
- That way, if you prefer one soda after one sip, but prefer another after you've had more of it, the first drink might be Pepsi and the second might be Coca-Cola.
Tips
- Coca-Cola is slightly saltier than Pepsi (33 mg sodium per 240 ml compared to Pepsi's 20 mg sodium), but it's almost impossible to tell by taste.
- While impossible to taste, Pepsi has a higher caffeine content than Coca-Cola, so opt for Pepsi if you need a boost.
