Poll: Coke vs. Pepsi: Revelations

[Mezahmay]

So last night I was having dinner with more of the family than usual and the after dinner discussion migrated a lot to many tangents. At one point I compared two very similar things to the point of being indistinguishable as being Coke and Pepsi. My cousin took offense to this and told me there's a huge difference between Coke and Pepsi. I have never once been able to tell the difference between the two. They're both just brown cola flavored to me. Apparently I'm even weirder to them because I cannot taste the difference between diet and regular either. I've done side-by-side comparisons in the past and I cannot detect a hint of difference between any of them.

So my question to the Escapist forum is twofold:

1. Can you taste the difference between regular Coke and regular Pepsi?

2. Can you taste the difference between diet and regular versions of the same cola brand?

Edit: Turns out polls don't like apostrophes. Option 5 says you also can't taste a difference and option 6 says you don't drink any of them so you have no opinion one way or the other. Nvm. The edit finally came through.

 

[Qwurty2.0]

1. Most people will say that Coke is more sweet than Pepsi (or maybe it's the other way around...). In any case, I can definitely notice a difference between the two.

2. I know there is a difference in taste between a diet brand and the regular kind (noticeable enough that I can't drink it without feeling a little disgusted). I haven't drank a diet soda in a long time so I can't remember exact how it tastes different, though.

If you really pay attention to the taste of both Pepsi and Coke, you will notice a difference. I like both so I don't really "notice" a difference on a regular basis. If it doesn't bother you don't worry about it. Sometimes the taste is more noticeable when in it's in a difference container (can vs plastic bottle vs soda machine, etc.).

 

[Gizmo1990]

I like reg coke over reg Pepsi and I can tell the difference but while I like both I will always choose coke if I can. I can tell the difference between Diet and reg of both and I HATE them both, can't explainit just don't like the taste of the diet stuff.

But I might not be the best person to ask as Coke is my only vice so to speak. I don't drink or smoke but I do have a few Coke's everyday so if you drink as much of it as I do it is hardly surprising that I can tell the difference.

 

[Scarim Coral]

To me, Pepsi is more sweeter than Coca Cola and I prefer the diet version mainly diet Pepsi since it's sweet but without the extra sugar/ calories in it.

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

Who on earth would pick 'diet' option? Diet drinks taste foul, at least those with artificial sweeteners.

I don't know if I'd be able to distinguish them on a blind taste test, but Pepsi seems to have more depth. Coke's flavor is just a caramely sweetness while Pepsi has subtle tones of citrus and other stuff. So I think prefer Pepsi.

Mind you, it does depend on how it's served. Cola from aluminum cans or glass tastes far better than from plastic bottles.

 

[Summerstorm]

1. Can you taste the difference between regular Coke and regular Pepsi?
Let me answer with a question: You can't taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi?
Come on, they taste nothing alike. Well, i have heard that they differ from country to country very much (For example the water to mix it is always regional)

2. Can you taste the difference between diet and regular versions of the same cola brand?
Absolutely. The trick is: The one tasing like cancery-superartificial sweetness crap is the "diet" or zero-callories.

I always have to laugh at the coke-zero ad, where they "trick" a whole cinema full of people to drink zero instead of original and NO ONE spits the crap on the seats and screams: Which fucker found it funny to switch my drinks?

Now that i think about it... normal Pepsi tastes maybe a bit more than Coke Zero than Coke...

EDIT:
P.S.: I prefer Coke of those two. Better yet: Vanilla Coke. But i like other brands more, usually Afri Cola. But Ginger-Ale, root beer and sugery mate-drinks is where my taste lies.

 

[Mithcha]

Yes & yes. Coke is far, far more of a syrup flavour, Pepsi tastes more like an actual drink. Unfortunately due to years of drinking coke as that was what was bought I've adapted to the syrup shit so much that I automatically go for it. The fuckers have utterly and completely branded me, bastards! Still, could be worse, least I know I've been branded. Though I'd much rather have a ginger beer than either, if not for the fact that I gulp drinks down and tend to have a coughing fit with gb.

 

[Mezahmay]

1. Can you taste the difference between regular Coke and regular Pepsi?
Let me answer with a question: You can't taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi?

I can't taste the difference. It's the fourth sentence of the topic post. That's why I made this poll in the first place.

 

[feeback06]

1. Yes. Pepsi has always tasted a lot sweeter to me, so I have always preferred Coke.
2. Yes. I hate diet soda. There is just an immediate "flat" taste I get when I taste it.

I will say however that I did not vote in the poll because my favorite choice was not included. I prefer Coke Zero honestly and I'm sure there are some Pepsi drinkers that prefer Pepsi Max.

 

[Mezahmay]

1. Yes. Pepsi has always tasted a lot sweeter to me, so I have always preferred Coke.
2. Yes. I hate diet soda. There is just an immediate "flat" taste I get when I taste it.

I will say however that I did not vote in the poll because my favorite choice was not included. I prefer Coke Zero honestly and I'm sure there are some Pepsi drinkers that prefer Pepsi Max.

I did consider adding Coke Zero because my other cousin's girlfriend specifically mentioned Coke Zero was better than regular diet Coke, but I didn't know the Pepsi equivalent, didn't care enough to look it up, and felt it distracted a bit too much from the point of the poll. You could just say your beverage isn't mentioned as option 6 if you really wanted to contribute.

 

[Random Gamer]

Yes on two.
And the only kind of "cola" soda I can drink - and drink a lot actually - is the normal Coke. All the others are close to awful by comparison, in my opinion.

By the way, even good old regular Coke doesn't taste the same depending on the area/country. There's obvious differences between US and Europe, regional differences being less obvious. Vanilla taste is stronger in the US version, while you can make out some cinnamon taste at times in European Coke. My memory is getting fuzzy since it's been some time since I haven't tried Mexican Coke, but it also tasted a bit different from US Coke - should check Mexican and European Cokes without much delay between tests to see if they're somewhat closer or if both are very different as well.

 

[Genocidicles]

1) Yeah I can taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi. I don't really have a favourite though, It depends on what I'm drinking out of. If it's a can or a glass then Coke, if it's a plastic bottle then Pepsi.

2) I can also tell the difference between a diet/regular version of both drinks. They just taste so much worse. I couldn't tell the difference between diet pepsi and diet coke though, I don't drink them often enough.

I can also tell the difference between different store-brand colas.

By the way, even good old regular Coke doesn't taste the same depending on the area/country. There's obvious differences between US and Europe, regional differences being less obvious. Vanilla taste is stronger in the US version, while you can make out some cinnamon taste at times in European Coke. My memory is getting fuzzy since it's been some time since I haven't tried Mexican Coke, but it also tasted a bit different from US Coke - should check Mexican and European Cokes without much delay between tests to see if they're somewhat closer or if both are very different as well.

That's because Coke in the US is made with corn syrup instead of cane sugar because corn in subsidized in the US, making it cheaper to use than real sugar. I assume that everywhere else gets coke made with cane sugar.

That's also why New Coke was a thing... supposedly. It was made so that people would forget what Coke with sugar would taste like, so when they switched back to old Coke (after changing the recipe) people wouldn't be able to notice the difference in taste.

 

[Greg White]

I'm from the part of the country that asks what kind of Coke you want, so my battle lines are pretty clear.

That said, Dr Pepper or Mountain Dew are the 2 I mainly drink.

 

[DoPo]

1. Can you taste the difference between regular Coke and regular Pepsi?

Yes, Pepsi is sweeter, Coke is slightly more carbonated.

2. Can you taste the difference between diet and regular versions of the same cola brand?

I don't actually know. I very rarely drink the diet versions. And since I also don't drink the regular versions that much (though quite a lot more frequently, compared to the diet ones) I don't think I've had the chance to compare any of the two. I might give it a go at some point, I guess but for now, I really have no idea if I can or not.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Pepsi definitely tastes sweeter and syrupier, and a bit less carbonated. Diet versions take a bit less sweet, and also have a really weird flavour that I can't quite put my finger on.

And Coke Zero basically tastes like piss.

 

[Dimitriov]

The differences are very apparent and I must say, OP, that I find it very strange you can't tell the difference.

Coke is far better in my opinion. It has a bit of a sharper bite to it while Pepsi tastes more syrupy.

And Diet drinks are just foul tasting. They taste like somebody accidentally dropped some laundry detergent in there (THANKS ASPARTAME - and Sucralose isn't any better).

 

[Queen Michael]

I can tell the difference, and find Pepsi to be way better, because it's sweeter.

 

[BeerTent]

I'm mildly alarmed about your tastebuds, OP.

I find that Pepsi is too sweet, whereas Coke can seem to just hit the spot, almost like a beer, but not really. Yeah, Coke is closer to root beer, and Pepsi is closer to 7up. Which makes sense in my mind.

The sweetener both use for their diet versions though, Aspartame, I can taste it in everything. You give me two drinks, and add a spoon of aspartame in one, blindfold me, and make me taste-test it. I'll get the Aspartame every time. It's got this disgusting aftertaste I can't really describe. I literally cannot drink any diet pop because of that aftertaste.