Coca-cola | Zero Recipe

Combine 250 ml water and the caramel color in a small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat just until warm; do not boil. Stir to dissolve the caramel into the water to create a uniform colored syrup base.

Add the phosphoric acid solution (or the measured food-grade phosphoric acid diluted appropriately) to the warm syrup and stir thoroughly. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, blend the aspartame and acesulfame-K (and optional sucralose if using). These are intense sweeteners — measure carefully. Add the sweetener blend to the cooled syrup base and stir until fully dissolved. Taste carefully; because sweeteners are concentrated, adjust in very small increments to reach desired sweetness. Note: aspartame is heat-sensitive; adding after cooling preserves sweetness.

In a small glass container, combine the cola flavor blend, citrus oil blend, vanilla extract, cinnamon oil and nutmeg oil. Mix well to form the flavor concentrate.

Add the flavor concentrate to the syrup + sweetener mixture and stir thoroughly to integrate. Smell and taste a very small diluted sample (mix 5 ml syrup with 95 ml cold carbonated water) to evaluate balance. Adjust tiny amounts (0.05–0.2 ml) of citrus oil or vanilla if the profile needs brightness or rounding.

Chill the cold carbonated water to as close to 0–4°C as possible. Keep it chilled and gently pour 500 ml into a chilled pitcher or bottle; avoid agitation that will release CO2.

Combine Syrup and Carbonated Water

Add 40–50 ml of the finished cola syrup to the 500 ml cold carbonated water (this yields a roughly 1:10–1:12 syrup-to-water ratio similar to commercial cola). Stir gently with a spoon, moving it through the liquid without vigorous stirring to preserve carbonation. Taste and adjust: add additional 2–5 ml syrup if you prefer stronger flavor.

Pour over ice in a glass if desired. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge if you like. Serve immediately to preserve carbonation and flavor.