Experts explain surprise reason Coke tastes better out of a can

If you have thought before that Coke tastes different when you drink it from a can compared to when you drink it from a plastic bottle, you are not alone. This drink remains popular across the UK and the world, with some consuming it weekly or even daily. Many people have thought this in the past, and there are a number of theories as to why that is. However, experts have weighed in and revealed the reason for Coke tasting different in a can versus in a plastic bottle. It turns out that the material it is contained in actually does affect how it tastes.

Experts have revealed that Coca-Cola and other fizzy drinks can taste slightly different depending on how they are served. When it comes to canned drinks, the material inside the can has the potential to alter their taste. However, this isn't a cause for concern. It is not the materials of the can mixing in with the drink. Rather, it's the materials inside the can that are absorbing some of the flavour.

Food chemist Sarah Risch told Popular Science that this can lead to a milder taste in canned drinks, such as Coke. Aluminium cans have a polymer lining, which can absorb some of the flavours.

For some people, this leads to a better taste than when they drink Coca-Cola from a plastic bottle. With the latter, Risch says that the acetaldehyde in the plastic can transfer to the Coke, which may slightly alter the flavour.

Some people claim that Coca-Cola is best drunk from a glass bottle. This makes sense, as it is generally accepted as Coke in its 'purest' form. Glass is an inert material, so it will have little to no effect on the taste of the fizzy drink.

People have often debated over the best way to drink Coca-Cola. In one discussion on Reddit, one person argued: "Everything tastes better out of a glass bottle."

However, another said: "It tastes better out of a can than a plastic bottle." A third shared: "I'm a Pepsi kinda guy myself, but it's can all the way. Plastic bottles are almost not worth getting imo [in my opinion]."

A fourth commented: "It tastes worse in plastic bottles compared to a can or a glass bottle."