The Surprising Reason Some Coca-Cola Bottles Have A Yellow Cap
Coca-Cola is one of the most well-known sodas around. Its red and white design has become iconic and has stood the test of time. However, some bottle caps are mysteriously yellow, even though the flavor is exactly the same as the original. Keep reading to find out the intriguing explanation behind these yellow Coca-Cola caps.
Colored Caps Sometimes Correspond To Flavors
Changing the caps of Coca-Cola bottles isn't anything new. The company typically does so to denote what flavor you're getting. For instance, vanilla-flavored coke has a beige cap.
Likewise, Coca-Cola cans have a different color near the top to signify the flavor, such as purple for cherry and green for lime. At this point, you might be thinking that the yellow caps are placed on lemon-flavored Cokes, but that isn't the case.
It's Only Offered Seasonally
Another thing that makes the yellow cap so mysterious is that it's only offered seasonally. This may not seem that unusual since certain flavors are seasonal, but the cap doesn't denote a flavor.
Sometimes, certain products come and go if the company is just testing them out, but these yellow caps don't just appear and disappear randomly. They arrive at the same time each year, and they leave around the same time. So what could they mean?
The Famous Coca-Cola Design
The yellow caps are a stark contrast against the red and white design that's remained practically the same over the years. It's not every day that a company comes up with such a successful design right off the bat.
That's partially thanks to a man named Frank M. Robinson, who was a financial advisor. He told Coca-Cola creator John S. Pemberton that the name would look great on bottles due to the two Cs. Pemberton took his advice and trademarked the name in 1893!
The History Behind Those Eye-Catching Colors
Once the famous drink had a name, it was time to think about the design. At the time, Cokes came in a glass bottle that showed the brown liquid inside.
They needed something that would pop more than the color brown, so they went with a bold red backdrop for their signs and wall murals. And what better color to stand out against red than white letters? Just like that, the iconic Coca-Cola design was born.
There Was Another Reason They Went With Red
Red is one of the most eye-catching colors, which explains why it's the color of stop signs and stop lights. But that isn't the only reason that Coca-Cola executives chose that color all those years ago.
They also did so to make transportation barrels stand out among the rest. A company spokesperson explained to Business Insider that the red barrels helped tax agents distinguish them from those containing adult beverages. But they didn't just go with any old red.
The Red Is A Unique Combination Of Tones
If you've ever wanted to paint something "Coke red" but couldn't get it just right, there's a reason for that. Coca-Cola uses a red that is a combination of three different tones.
To keep the red unique, they've yet to record it in design guides. That's why there isn't another red that quite matches in terms of paint colors. Unless you're an expert colorist, any red you use with likely be a tiny bit off.
Breaking The Mold In The South Pacific
Though Coca-Cola products have had practically the same basic design for over a century, the company has stayed open to trying new things. Perhaps the most dramatic change they made to the design happened in 2014.
The South Pacific branch released a line of Coca-Cola cans that came in five different colors: green, purple, blue, orange, and pink. Designers made sure that the varied colors were just as vibrant as original Coke cans so they would still pop on the shelves.
One Little Problem
The colorful cans were a great idea. After all, who wouldn't want to drink a Coke out of their favorite color can? There was just one little issue that ultimately prevented the concept from taking off.
Workers had to be absolutely sure that there were a variety of colors shipped to each and every retailer. This ended up being the biggest challenge since they didn't want to risk one store getting all one color. As a result, they upped their manual labor.
Workers Manually Stacked Pallets
To be sure that each shipment had a variety of colors, the workers had to empty the pallets and rebuild each one with two colors per pallet. This way, there would be a variety of colors in every single pallet, ensuring that multiple colors ended up at a store.
At the same time, workers had to put in a lot more labor to pull this off. In the end, the hard work probably wasn't worth getting colorful cans on shelves.
Yellow Capped Coca-Cola Has A Slightly Different Recipe
Colorful Coca-Colas may not have made their way around the world, but yellow capped ones did! That's because there's a little more to these yellow-capped bottles than just flavor variation.
The caps may be the same original flavor, but that doesn't mean that they don't have a slightly different recipe. You see, Coca-Cola is typically made with high fructose corn syrup. The ones with yellow caps, though, replace the high fructose corn syrup with something else.
It's Specially-Made For Passover
Coca-Cola bottles that have a yellow cap are made with just one different ingredient than other variations. They have sucralose in them instead of high fructose corn syrup. Sucrose is made from beet sugar and cane sugar, where high fructose corn syrup comes from corn.
Since some Jewish people don't eat corn during Passover, this gives them an option so they don't have to miss out on the bubbly beverage. The tricky thing is that regular Coca-Cola is technically kosher.
Passover Changes What's Considered Kosher
Kosher is a Hebrew term that is used to describe food and beverages that are okay to consume. Some items that are kosher year-round are considered off-limits during Passover.
For example, chametz, which is the Hebrew term for anything that contains grains, is prohibited during Passover. That means that there can't even be a crumb in the house as Jewish residents won't be able to touch it until the holiday is over. Corn is even trickier.
Some Jewish People Have More Dietary Restrictions
Some Jewish individuals also observe kitniyot, which involves an even more restrictive diet during Passover. Typically those who have Ashkenazi, meaning Eastern European, ties, are the ones who observe kitniyot.
Kitniyot prohibits those following the guidelines from eating anything that contains legumes, as well as other varieties of grain. This is where corn comes in. Those observing kitniyot wouldn't be able to consume corn, meaning no high fructose corn syrup, either. That's why those yellow caps make all the difference.
Sucrose Was Coke's Original Sweetener
Swapping out high fructose corn syrup for sucrose is no big deal to Coca-Cola, considering that's how their original recipe started! They switched to high fructose corn syrup later on, to some peoples' dismay.
It turns out a rabbi by the name of Tuvia Geffen was responsible for the switch back to sucrose. In the 1930s, Coca-Cola was so popular that some Jewish individuals struggled to avoid the drink during Passover to observe kitniyot.
Orthodox Union Approved
Rabbi Geffen suggested that Coca-Cola swap out their high fructose corn syrup during Passover, and the company listened! They not only changed the ingredient, but they also got the mark of approval from the Orthodox Union.
That's what that O-U-P marking on top of the yellow cap indicates. Coca-Cola now offers kosher year-round products as well as kosher for Passover items. Bottlers have to get certified to produce both items, so they are only available in select markets.
Rabbinical Organizations Supervise The Production
The kosher Coca-Cola products are produced under the supervision of one of the company's designated Rabbinical organizations. They watch the entire process to make sure everything is up to kosher standards. Coca-Cola isn't the only company to go through this process.
Certain brands of honey, dairy, salmon, and tilapia products have also gotten the Orthodox Union's thumbs up. For instance, 365 Everyday Value's Atlantic Salmon and Kirkland Signature’s Tilapia Loins have also been certified kosher, just to name a couple.
Something For Everyone
Yellow-capped Coca-Colas only come around seasonally, so it may be worth a try the next time they do. Some prefer sucrose to high fructose corn syrup, while others just want to see what Coke used to taste like.
Whether you prefer the yellow cap or the red, it's helpful to consumers to have both options. This way, there's something for everyone anytime of the year. Now the next time you see that yellow cap, you'll know why!
Defrost Your Car Windows Without Scraping Them To Death
Coca-Cola is shaping up to become your car's best friend. If you live somewhere with frigid winters, you know that means waking up 10 minutes early to scrape the ice off your window.
Avoid that extra time by pouring Coke over the windshield. Within a minute the ice should turn to slush and brush right off. The people in Michigan have never been so grateful for a can of soda.
Fade Out Mistaken Hair Die
Every girl who just went through a nasty breakup knows the pain of "taking a chance" and "doing something exciting for myself for once" and casually dying your hair bright pink. Then, of course, Monday comes around and you realize you can't sell insurance with pink hair.
If you've made a serious hair-dye mistake, then wash your hair with Diet Coke (it HAS to be diet). The soda will wash out temporary dyes and fade permanent ones.
It Removes Rust On Your Car
Want to save some time and money? Then don't take your rusty car into the shop or go out and buy overpriced polish.
You can make your car look like it came straight off the lot by using a can of Coke for polish instead. The phosphoric acid in Coke helps erode rust and keep your bumper nice and shiny. Just be sure not to overdo it and wipe off any paint.
Remove Stains From Your Couch
Coca-Cola might look like it would be the thing to stain your fabric couch, but it can actually be a stain remover. The acidity in the soda will help lift tough stains, especially grease ones.
So, if a drop of grease flies onto your couch from that juicy burger, dab a bit of Cola on it. Just be sure not to soak the fabric in Cola because the soda is brown and can stain also.
Get That Sticky Gum Out Of Your Hair
Mistakes happen, we understand. No one ever actually wants gum to get in their hair, but when you have a schoolyard bully or you're babysitting a three-year-old, sometimes it's unavoidable.
If you do happen to have this unfortunate situation happen to you, run to the nearest corner store and buy a can of Coke. You'll have to sit around awkwardly with your hair soaking in a bowl of soda, but then the gum will just fall right out.
It Can Remove Corrosion On A Car Battery Without Damaging It
Car batteries aren't something you want to mess with because replacing one can cost a fortune. Luckily, Coca-Cola has just the right about of acidity to remove corrosion on the battery without damaging it like other products.
Just be sure if you try this that you disconnect the battery and rinse with water afterwards. If not, you might end up with a fried battery that will cost much more than a can of Coke to replace.
A Drop Of Coke And Grease Is Toast
Forget about buying expensive dish cleaning soap like Dawn or Tide when you can use a product you already have in your fridge.
If you soak your greasy macaroni and cheese dishes or lasagna pans in Coca-Cola for 30 minutes they will come out looking de-greased and sparkling. I'd love to see a dish soap commercial for Coca-Cola of a family rushing around to do dishes and pouring Coke into the sink instead.
Relieve Jellyfish Stings
This might sound like a very specific situation but it is worth knowing just in case. If you happen to have the misfortune of getting stung by a jellyfish at the beach, open up some Coke and continuously pour the soda on the sting for at least 30 seconds.
You'll want to seek medical attention after, but the Coke will ease the stinging pain. Oh, and it's also way better than having someone urinate on you.
Use It In Cooking
If you've got a Southern mom then she's definitely already found a Pinterest recipe that uses a can of Coke. For everyone else, we're here to enlighten you.
A can of Coke makes the perfect bubbly base for pot roasts or pulled meats. Pour a can over a pork shoulder and turn on your slow cooker and you're done! You can also mix it with ketchup or barbecue sauce to make a meat glaze.
You Now Know About Cooking With Coke, How About Baking?
Yes, that's right, you can make the tastiest baked goods with Coca-Cola. Next time you're baking a cake for a kid's birthday party or an office bake sale, add some of the soda to the recipe. It will make the batter moist, fluffy, and extra delicious.
You can hardly taste the Coke over the actual cake flavors, but to be safe, maybe only try this for chocolate cakes. You don't want to turn a vanilla cake an awkward in-between shade of brown.
Get Rid Of Household Pests
If you have a rare but annoying infestation of slugs and snails, then set out a bowl of Coca-Cola for a few nights and watch the magic happen. It will attract the creepy crawlers and you can remove them.
Coca-Cola can also be used to remove ant hills around your property before they grow too large. If you're extra desperate, an open bowl of Coke with saran wrap on top will even catch mosquitos.
Flat Coke Will Help Your Compost
It doesn't need to be bubbly to get the job done. If you have a can of Coke in the back of your fridge that has gone flat, pour it over your compost pile.
Doing this once a week will help break things down a lot faster thanks to the acid and sugar in the soda. Just don't throw in the plastic bottle or can, because that definitely won't decompose.
Remove Oil Spots On Your Driveway
Any homeowner knows how frustrating it is to see those annoying oil spots burned into your driveway. Humans are creatures of habit. We park our cars in the exact same spot everyday and the oil stains are unavoidable.
If you soak the stain with some Coca-Cola, let it sit for a few hours, it just hose off with no problem. Hey, it beats having to pay for a brand new driveway.
Restore Old Coins To Look Brand New
If you're an amateur coin collector that doesn't want to shell out the money for professional coin cleaning, then use Coke instead. It only takes about ten minutes for a coin soaking in Coca-Cola to shed all that extra tarnish or muck and look shiny and new.
If there's a chance that coin might be extremely valuable though, we suggest you keep it looking gross and grimy. Antiques Roadshow likes it better when it looks older.
Give Your Plants An Extra Little Buzz
Considering the fact that nutritionists keep telling us soda isn't good for our health, it's a bit hard to believe it can be good for plant health, but it's true. If your green thumb isn't doing its job, then pour some Coke over your plants.
Particularly with azaleas and gardenias, feeding them a little bit of Coca-Cola will help deliver nutrients that they might desperately be needing. Before you know it they'll be blooming like crazy.
It Can Be A Homemade Pesticide
This handy Coca-Cola hack actually gained popularity thanks to Indian farmers. Many of those who work in agriculture in India say that the high sugar content in the soda helps it to easily fight off unwanted pests.
Of course, Coke says that it's not true and that nothing in the drink can be used as a pesticide. We suggest trying it out on a small crop of plants before dousing an entire wheat field with Coke.
Brighten Up Burnt Pots In A Flash
If you're like me, you probably have absolutely no idea what you're doing in the kitchen. That means unless it's being warmed up in the microwave, you're constantly burning your pots and pans trying to cook like a real adult.
If the bottoms of your cookware have become blackened over time, pour a can of coke in and let it sit overnight. Wake up and you'll find the grime is easy to scrape right off.
It Can Help Cure Your Nausea
Many people know that sipping on ginger ale can help cure your nausea, but the same thing goes for Coca-Cola. The trick to making Coke the more effective nausea reliever is to leave it out overnight so it gets flat.
Once all the bubbles are gone, then drinking a teaspoon once an hour will help keep your stomach from churning. Of course, if it doesn't go away then you should probably seek some medical attention.
