Person Claims to Have Perfectly Replicated Coca-Cola After Years of Research, Here’s the Recipe

By Ben McKimm - News

Published: 13 Jan 2026

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Readtime: 4 min

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• YouTuber LabCoatz has used chemical analysis to replicate the secret Coca-Cola recipe.
• The sophisticated Version 111 formula uses two distinct solutions and essential oils.
• Making this drink requires precise laboratory measurements and significant aging for flavour.
• Commercial rivals might create cheap alternatives, but the original brand remains secure.

Someone has claimed to have broken the secret code of “Merchandise 7X.” Of course, we’re talking about Coca-Cola, a highly sophisticated formula that has allegedly been created and replicated by a YouTuber named “LabCoatz.” The YouTuber, whose real name is Zach Armstrong, has utilised sophisticated chemical analysis and lab tests to determine exactly what ingredients are in the drink, one that helps the parent company generate $12 billion of revenue per quarter.

Don’t get too excited just yet, however, as creating this drink for yourself at home is easier said than done, with eight oils (lemon, lime, tea tree, cassia cinnamon, nutmeg, and more) being only a small percentage of the solution before you add in the 320mL of Shank’s caramel colour, Glycerin, Phosphoric acid, Wine tannins, and Caffeine.

You won’t be making this at home anytime soon, but if this is indeed the recipe for Coca-Cola, it opens the door for brands like Costco’s Kirkland to swoop in and sell a cut-price alternative. Still, we don’t exactly like in a world where a cold can of Coca-Cola is considered a luxury item… if it’s in a glass bottle, we’re open for discussion. No matter which way you look at it, if Costco doesn’t call their new invention Kirka-Cola, we’re not buying it, no matter how cheap it is or how many calories we’ll gain from drinking copious amounts of it.

LabCoatz Coca-Cola Recipe

The recipe reads more like a scientific method than a Mary Berry chocolate chip cookie recipe, but it’s what it takes for you to create a professional-grade cola at home, according to LabCoatz. This version is a formulation, known as “Version 111,” that utilises a two-part flavouring system to achieve the profile, said to replicate Coca-Cola.

Flavour Solution A

The first part you need to create is the flavour oil mixture, which you then dilute by adding 20–21mL of that mixture to 1 litre of 95% ethanol.

Ingredients:

• Lemon Oil: 45.8mL
• Lime Oil: 36.5mL
• Tea Tree Oil: 8mL
• Cassia Cinnamon Oil: 4.5mL
• Nutmeg Oil: 2.7mL
• Orange Oil: 1.2mL
• Coriander Oil: 0.7mL
• Fenchol: 0.6mL

Flavour Solution B

This component provides the deep colour, mouthfeel, and the signature “bite” associated with a classic Coca-Cola. You then combine it with water to achieve a total volume of 1 litre.

Ingredients:

• Shank’s Caramel Colour: 320mL
• Glycerin: 175g (Note: This can be reduced for a thinner mouthfeel)
• 85% Phosphoric Acid: 45mL
• Vinegar (5% acidity): 10mL
• Vanilla Extract: 10mL
• Wine Tannins: 8g (Note: This can be increased for more astringency)
• Caffeine: 9.65g

Method

To produce one litre of finished Coca-Cola, combine the following components:

• Carbonated Water: To volume
• Sugar: 104g
• Flavour Solution A: 1mL
• Flavour Solution B: 10mL

Preparation and Aging

Note that you must allow the concentrates to sit, letting the volatile oils and acids meld, resulting in a smoother, more integrated flavour profile once carbonated.

NOTE: LabCoatz provides this warning in his video, “Concentrated phosphoric acid is mildly corrosive and undiluted flavours and essential oils can be irritating or toxic. Never consume, unless properly mixed and diluted to safe levels. Tea tree oil is not GRAS (generally recognised as safe to eat), although the few microliters added to this cola shouldn’t cause health issues due to the low dosage and similarity to the chemical makeup of other sodas.”

What This Means for the Future of Coca-Cola

Likely, nothing at all.

The recipe for Coca-Cola is a trade secret, not a patent. This means no one will ever know the true recipe, and unless a company is able to mass-produce, market, and then sell a replica of Coca-Cola, the brand has nothing to worry about at all. Let’s not forget the Coca-Cola employee who tried to sell the recipe to Pepsi in the late 1990s, who immediately informed Coca-Cola and the authorities.

Even with the recipe for Coca-Cola, there is no competitive advantage, and therefore no market for the product. However, it’s a fun secret, and if LabCoatz is correct is his scientific analysis, it’s a fun way to start 2026.