Why Yellow Cap Cokes are Flying Off Shelves in Indiana

You may have noticed bottles of Coke with a yellow cap on them at the store, but you might not know what the meaning behind it is. Well, these drinks are made with a unique ingredient.

Last time you went to the store here in Indiana, did you happen to walk down the soda aisle? If so, did you spot something a little different about the Coke bottles? As you know, the traditional caps on bottles of Coke are red. However, this time of year, you might notice that some bottles have a unique yellow cap on them. Well, those yellow caps actually have a pretty special meaning.

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What's Up with the Yellow Caps on Coke Bottles?

According to Taste of Home, the arrival of yellow cap Coke coincides with the arrival of the Jewish holiday of Passover, occurring April 12 through April 20 this year. During Passover, Jewish people have specific dietary restrictions. Taste of Home says:

One of the most debated rules of Passover regards kitniyot, which includes legumes, some seeds, rice, and corn. (The restrictions on corn are why there’s a special Coca-Cola formula that’s kosher for Passover.)

The average bottle of Coke (the red cap) gets its sweetness from high fructose corn syrup. Coke inside bottles with yellow caps replaces the high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar, making it kosher for Passover.

So, that's why Coca-Cola puts the more natural version of their recipe in two liter bottles around Passover. It’s similar to the recipe used for Mexican Coke served in glass 12 oz. bottles. Unlike Mexican Coke, however, the yellow-capped bottles don't cost more than a regular two-liter, which is one of the reasons they sell out so quickly.

Whether you celebrate Passover or not, there are a lot of people who say that the Coke made with cane sugar tastes better than the regular Coke with the fructose corn syrup. Personally, I have never tried the Coke with a yellow cap before, but I'm interested to see if I can taste the difference. Have you tried the natural sugar version of Coca-Cola? I'd love to know if you notice a difference in the recipe or not. Either way, now you know why you see some bottles of Coke with a different color cap at the store.