That alcohol probably isn't in the true 7X formula these days.
There is a trace amount of alcohol in Coke as a byproduct of the Corn-to-HFCS conversion. Because of this grain byproduct, Coke produces a Kosher version of Coke around the jewish holidays that uses cane or beet sugar (sucrose) instead of high-fructose corn syrup. I grab as much K-Coke as I can during the passover season and hoard it all year. It's good stuff.
Local bottlers will tweak the syrup/water ratio for the local tastes. I've been told it's sweeter in the south than the north. The Mexican mix is insanely heavy on the syrup.
I've tried Coke syrup straight. It'll make the muscles in your jaw convulse from the insane sugar hit.
The key, for me, anyway, to Mexican Coke is to keep it at room temperature and serve it over ice. It's always cold enough, and the slight dilution from the melting ice makes it perfect.
Also, the Mexican mix isn't heavy on the syrup, it's heavy on cane sugar.
One huge advantage of living in Europe is that we get sodas with real sugar here. None of the HCFS crap. And yes Virginia, it does make a difference. Suger > HFCS.
Oh yeah. I travel to Europe every year or so and the colas there are great. Expensive, but worth it.
One of my biggest wishes is that Coke would bring the European formula of Orange Fanta to the USA. It's an excellent drink (and #2 in popularity to Coca-Cola from what I hear), but in the USA it's this thick syrupy supersweet undrinkable mess.
There is a trace amount of alcohol in Coke as a byproduct of the Corn-to-HFCS conversion. Because of this grain byproduct, Coke produces a Kosher version of Coke around the jewish holidays that uses cane or beet sugar (sucrose) instead of high-fructose corn syrup. I grab as much K-Coke as I can during the passover season and hoard it all year. It's good stuff.