This Is the Best Way to Drink Diet Coke.
If Cult of Diet Coke was a real cult, I would be his Squeaky Fromme (totally dedicated, oddly hot). Some of my earliest gourmet memories are pairing Diet Coke with Oreos at Bible School on vacation, but I didn’t realize the drink was calorie-free and I was so close in age. This week, the silver can flipped 4°, which seems both too old and too young. (Coincidentally, this is exactly what I imagine with a 4° rotation.)
On the alignment chart, Diet Coke is chaotic neutral. Its tart, bubbly, invigorating nature pairs with sweet and savory—even Thanksgiving dinner —and avid Diet Coke drinkers are known to enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I don’t really know any casual Diet Coke drinker, now that I think about it. We each have a sick little Diet Coke ranking system that we love to share with anyone who asks (or doesn’t). Opinions about cans and bottles tend to vary from consumer to Diet Coke drinker, but just about every Diet Coke drinker agrees that McDonald’s Diet Coke is the pinnacle of diet soda enjoyment. (Another thing we agree on? Diet Pepsi is never “normal”.)
There are three factors that make McDonald’s Diet Coke so perfect: a consistent ratio of syrup to water, temperature control, and a pretty straw. And while you may never have your own Diet Coke fountain, you can use McDonald’s principles to create the best Diet Coke experience at home.
Starts with syrup.
The differences between a McDonald’s Diet Coke and another Diet Coke start with how the syrup is delivered to the restaurant. According to the New York Times , most of the syrup is shipped in plastic bags, while McDonald’s ships it in stainless steel tanks, which keep it fresh longer.
Then there is the issue of consistency and cooling (and cooling in series). If you’ve ever encountered a soda made with the “wrong” ratio of syrup to water, you know it can be a frustrating experience, especially if that soda is a diet cola (aspartame is a fickle beast). McDonald’s prevents such a disaster by maintaining the exact ratio and keeping everything very cold. From their website :
We make sure our Coke products are fresh and always taste good by following the guidelines set by Coca-Cola, using a syrup ratio that allows the ice to melt, and pre-chilling the Coca-Cola syrup and water before they enter the our sparkling water. the fountain!
Why does temperature matter?
Hot Diet Coke is disgusting. It feels flat on the tongue and has a unique flavor best described as “blood and metal”. According to the New York Post , “McDonald’s carbonated water is constantly recirculated through this piping system so that its temperature can always stay between 33-38 degrees (just above freezing).”
Keeping the drink cold not only makes it more refreshing in taste but also makes it more fizzy. Cold liquids hold gases better than warm liquids, i.e. gas dissolves better in cold liquid, but according to Sciencing.com , changes in temperature and pressure can also affect pH and, as a result, taste:
The taste of carbonated drinks depends on the temperature at which they are stored. This can be explained by the fact that in order to stabilize the carbon dioxide content, it is necessary to reduce the temperature. As a result, the pH will drop to 3.2-3.7, which will give the drink a sour taste characteristic of carbonated drinks. This is why carbonated drinks should be consumed cold.
This lack of acid in warm Diet Coke makes it taste unbalanced and metallic, which is why McDonald’s takes temperature so seriously.
A straw can do so much
The McDonald’s straw is the perfect straw. It’s wider than most, allowing for more invigorating bubbles per sip, but even the best straw can’t do much when faced with a warm or non-alcoholic drink. To test the power of the straw, I went and grabbed a large bottle of McDonald’s Diet Coke along with a 1 liter bottle from my local Plaid Pantry store.
I tried Diet Coke in five different ways: from a McDonald’s cup through a McDonald’s straw; straight from a liter bottle, no straw; from a liter bottle through a McDonald’s straw; and pour into a glass with ice, both with a straw and without it.
The Diet Coke from the McDonald’s fountain was the best, but drinking through a McDonald’s straw from a liter bottle was a very close second, and only because it was slightly warmer and therefore not as invigorating.
The Diet Coke I poured into the glass was terrible, almost completely tasteless, especially when drunk after and compared to McDonald’s soda, but it makes sense. Opening a bottle (or can) of soda reduces pressure and soda, but pouring it into a glass of ice causes nucleation centers to form, which promote fizz, releasing the soda from the liquid into the air. This is why soda foams so aggressively when you pour it, and why I never ask for a glass of Diet Coke. Even the best, widest straw can’t fix an almost flat soda – it doesn’t matter how many bubbles it can hold as long as there are no bubbles to deliver.
What need to do?
It’s impossible to replicate McDonald’s Diet Coke delivery system at home, but there are things we can learn from the fast food giant’s methods.
Keep Diet Coke as cold as possible (not freezing) by storing it in the coldest part of the refrigerator or by placing it in an ice bath (like champagne) before serving. You should also avoid pouring soda from its original container into a glass, so avoiding large bottles (like 1- and 2-litre) and cans (like tall ones) altogether is recommended. Not only do they often have to be refilled into a secondary container, they lose their carbonation every time you open them.
Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki (a fellow at the head of Diet Coke) likes “specifically 500ml bottles” because she “can keep the cap on and keep the fizz inside.” And I tend to go for the standard can because the aluminum keeps the drink cold and I drink them fast enough that they stay bubbly to the last drop.
When choosing a drink from the fountain, be aware that not all machines mix and dispense soda in a standardized way, so find a good drink and be loyal to it. According to Lifehacker senior technical editor Jake Peterson, “I want a good soda with soda, but I’m always careful because bad soda is bad.” ”
And, of course, it never hurts to take an extra straw with you. It won’t save a cup of soda, but it will allow more soda to hit your tongue in one sip (if soda is available), enhancing your Diet Coke experience whether you’re drinking from a can or plastic. 20-ounce or fancy glass bottle.