🥤 Old-Fashioned Coca-Cola Style Syrup Inspired by the Original 19th-Century Recipe

Out of curiosity, I looked into the history of Cola...

Coca-Cola was born in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, and was created by Dr. John Pemberton, a pharmacist and Confederate veteran. Originally sold as a medicinal tonic, it was meant to help with headaches, fatigue, and nervous conditions.

His first versions contained:

Coca leaf extract (yes, the same plant cocaine comes from, though it was legal and widely used in tonics at the time)

Kola nut extract, a West African nut rich in caffeine, gives “Coca-Cola” its name

A blend of citrus oils and spices, a formula later codified as the famous “Merchandise 7X” flavour

In 1888, the company passed to Asa Candler, who removed the cocaine (by using de-cocainized coca leaves) and turned Coca-Cola into the global soft drink empire it is today.

Original recipe Source: The American Life

So I made a cola syrup from whole, natural ingredients,
inspired by the rich, aromatic, and complex 19th-century flavours, before artificial flavourings took over.

Great for mixing with soda water, mocktails, cocktails, or gifting in vintage-style bottles.

Great for mixing with soda water, Mocktails or cocktails, or
gifting in vintage-style bottles

🥤 Old-Fashioned Coca-Cola Style Syrup (from Fresh Ingredients)

A natural recreation of the classic 19th-century cola flavour.

🍊 Ingredients (Makes ~2 cups syrup)

🍋 Citrus & Fruit:
Zest of 1 organic orange

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 lime

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lime juice

🌿 Roots & Spices:
1 tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1 small cinnamon stick

1 whole star anise

1/2 tsp coriander seeds (crushed)

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp dried lavender flowers (or a small piece of orange blossom, if available)

1/2 split vanilla bean or 1 tbsp vanilla extract

🍯 Syrup Base:
1½ cups organic cane sugar

1½ cups filtered water

1 tbsp molasses (for deep flavour)

1–2 tbsp caramelized sugar (for colour & burnt sugar note)*

Optional: 1 tsp powdered kola nut (adds authentic caffeine and bitter note)

🧑‍🍳 To caramelise sugar:

Heat 2 tbsp sugar in a dry pan until melted and dark amber, then immediately stir into the syrup while hot.

🔥 Instructions
Simmer the flavour infusion:

In a pot, combine citrus zests, ginger, spices, lavender, vanilla pod (if using), and water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, uncovered.

Strain & sweeten:

Strain through a fine mesh or cheesecloth.

Return the liquid to the pot. Add sugar, molasses, citrus juices, and caramelized sugar. Stir until fully dissolved.

Add vanilla extract now (if you didn’t use a vanilla pod).

Stir in powdered kola nut, if using.

Cool & bottle:

Let cool fully and store in a sterilised glass bottle or jar. Refrigerate for up to 2–3 weeks.

🧊 To Serve:

Mix 1 part syrup with 4 parts chilled sparkling water. Adjust the sweetness to taste. Garnish with citrus if desired.

Homemade Coke!

I was sipping and remembering when "cola" was a botanical
brew.

This tastes lovely, has no toxic ingredients, and doesn’t harm the environment.

Have a lovely day,
Mariah 💗😊

Some References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula
https://parade.com/17909/markpendergrast/the-secret-coca-cola-formula-revealed/