Open-source cola
{{short description|Cola produced according to a published and shareable recipe}}
File:Tøyen-Cola_fra_Oslo_2015.jpg-ed Cube Cola offspring from Norway (2015)]]
File:THE_RECIPE_Open_cube_cola_recipe,_30_december_2012.pdf (2012)]]
File:Open Cola session on Penguicon 8.jpg
Open-source cola is any cola soft drink produced according to a published and shareable recipe. Unlike the secretive Coca-Cola formula, the recipes are openly published and their re-use is encouraged.{{Cite web
|url=http://www.opencola.com/download/3_softdrink/formula.shtml
|title=OpenCola.com - Soft Drink Formula
|year=2001
|access-date=2008-12-28
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010218075323/http://www.opencola.com/download/3_softdrink/formula.shtml
|archive-date=2001-02-18
|url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/OpenCola_soft_drink_recipe.pdf
|title=OpenCola Soft Drink Recipe
|access-date=2008-12-28
|publisher=OpenCola.com
|year=2001
|author=Amanda Foubister
}} The texts of OpenCola and Cube-Cola recipes are published under the GNU General Public License (GPL).{{Cite web
|url = http://www.sparror.cubecinema.com/cube/cola/
|title = Cube-Cola: Standing on the hands of giants.
|publisher = Cube-Cola
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120903053903/http://www.sparror.cubecinema.com/cube/cola/
|archive-date = 2012-09-03
|title=Cube-Cola Recipe
|date=6 April 2012
|url=http://cube-cola.org/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=10
|publisher=Cube-Cola
}}
Recipe
{{Cookbook|OpenCola}}
The colas are produced as a flavour concentrate or syrup that is then mixed with bulk ingredients to produce the drink. Completed flavour concentrates are sold by some of the open cola producers.{{Cite web
|title=Cola Concentrates
|url=http://cube-cola.org/index.php?route=product/category&path=20
|publisher=Cube-Cola
|year=2012
}} The bulk ingredients include those such as sweeteners (sugar or artificial), caffeine and the source of acidity, phosphoric or citric acid. As these are added later, after the flavour blending stage, sugar and caffeine levels per batch can be tailored to a market's particular taste.
Coca-Cola's own flavouring syrup is known in-house as "Merchandise 7X", which is cross-referenced in the open recipes.
A typical recipe is based on eight essential oils, listed here in approximate order of decreasing volume:
These are based on the "Pemberton formula."{{Cite book
|title=For God, Country and Coca-Cola
|last=Pendergrast |first=Mark | authorlink=Mark Pendergrast
|isbn=1842030426
|year=2000
|publisher=Orion
|orig-year=1993
}} Although claimed as the Coca-Cola recipe, this has been denied by The Coca-Cola Company. This recipe is also similar to the Merory and Beal recipes. One ingredient that is missing from these recipes is the eponymous kola nut,{{Cite journal
|author=Catherine Meyers
|title=How Natural Is Your Cola?
|journal=Science Now
|url=http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/05/scienceshot-how-natural-is-your.html?rss=1
|date=6 May 2011
|access-date=19 September 2012
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719221553/http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/05/scienceshot-how-natural-is-your.html?rss=1
|archive-date=19 July 2013
|url-status=dead
}} although this did appear in Reed's recipe.
The use of lavender oil is considered something of a personal taste.{{according to whom|date=July 2016}} Neroli is frequently omitted altogether, owing to its high cost and relatively small contribution to the overall flavour. Neroli alone may represent a third of the concentrate ingredients cost.{{Cite web
|title=Ingredients cost
|url=http://www.sparror.cubecinema.com/cube/cola/finance/
|publisher=Cube-Cola
}}
As well as the basic list of flavouring ingredients, there are other ingredients such as food grade gum arabic and a considerable degree of "art" in its manufacture. The precise quality and sourcing of ingredients makes an appreciable difference, particularly in the process of emulsifying the concentrate.
Small quantities of alcohol may be used to facilitate this process; as an open recipe, this is under the control of the manufacturer who may avoid such ingredients if prohibition, halal, or similar rules would require it.
Open colas
Examples include OpenCola, produced as a promotion by the Opencola software company, and Cube-Cola, an open cola produced by the Cube Microplex cinema in Bristol.{{cite news
|author=James Flint |title=The real thing. Or is it?
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/jul/28/foodanddrink.shopping
|newspaper=The Guardian
|date=28 July 2006
}}
Tøyen-Cola from Norway is one of the Cube-Cola offsprings.[https://distrita.com/toyen-cola-is-a-speciality-in-oslo-norway-that-needs-to-be-tested/ Tøyen Cola is a local Speciality in Oslo, Norway that You need to Try!] on distrita.com (Jun 23, 2017)
See also
{{portal|Drink}}