Coca-Cola Blak
Coca-Cola has announced a new beverage that will debut in France in January 2006. It’s called Coca-Cola Blak, and it is a strange hybrid soda-coffee concoction. Carbonated coffee? Well, no thanks. Who knows, they could have pulled it off, but my gut reaction is, “WTF?”
According to Coke, it “has a rich smooth texture and has a coffee-like froth when poured.” Lest you think they got it right, it’s being marketed as a “mid-calorie beverage,” meaning it has the same sweetening structure as Coke C2: Half high-fructose corn syrup, and half Splenda. I’m not sure many of you experienced the tastebud travesty of C2, but it wasn’t pleasant. I hope they didn’t do the same thing here.
Since it isn’t actually available yet, I only have estimates at the caffeine content. Best guesses put it at 68mg for 12 ounces, about double a normal cola. I’ve put this number into The Caffeine Database and, of course, you can off yourself with Blak on the Death by Caffeine calculator.
If anyone has actually tried this, let everyone know how it tastes.
UPDATE: Estimates were correct (except that bottle size is only 8oz). Coca Cola Blak has 46 mg caffeine per 8oz bottle.
77 Comments
[...] Coca-Cola Blak [...]
I don’t know where you are, but in Chile Coke+Coffee is a traditional keep-me-up recipe for college students. Tastes like crap, too.
[...] Coca-Cola Blak is a new beverage that Coca-Cola is debuting in France in 2006. Supposedly a “soda-coffee conconction”. While checking out the site, why not test how many cans of your favorite caffineinated drink it takes to do you in. (via Energy Fiend) [...]
uhhh….MARKETING: RULE 101: IF IT AIN’T NORMAL, AND IT SOUNDS FUNKY, DA CONSUMER AIN’T GONNA BUY IT.
Jolt cola has had a Coffee + Cola drink for quite a while now.
[...] Energy Fiend » Blog Archive » Coca-Cola Blak [...]
Lost energy drink isnt for the tv show and the orange flavored one kicks ass
More like Coca-Cola Blech…
Hi,
im from Paris, France, and just discovered this “blak” at lunchtime!
tastes like cola mixed with instant coffee….not so bad
the caffeine rate is 20mg/100 ml
in Germany I even tasted a Beer/cola mix (sorry, forgot the name)
As an American living in France I saw this drink in a vending machine at the train station the other day and was instantly intruiged.
The vending machine price was a bit much (1 euro 60) but I found it at the local grocery store for about 90 cents a can. The can is smaller than the average French soda can (which is already smaller than a US soda can) but I can tell you it was worth it!
Man do I love this stuff! Just the right amount of coke and coffee to wake me up. Fizzy indeed! When you stop drinking from the can it comes out of the top on its own.
I really enjoy this stuff and have already stock piled it. I was surprised to learn that it was first released in France. I hope it does well because I would love to see this in the US when I return home.
Blak with Jack.
Hello. Yum. Already Jack Daniels, Kahlua, and Coke make a kick-ass drink. I will definitely try Blak as a mixer.
However, I already know it would’ve been better to have formulated it with plain sucrose instead. I’m not into the icky sweet of either fructose or the fake sugars. Hopefully, that poor move won’t wreck the product.
The concept and packaging is killer, tho. If it tastes good, I will buy it instead of Coke Classic.
Coke Blak is awesome! My friends at the coke plant let me try some and I can’t wait for it to arrive in stores.
It is being packaged in 8 oz bottles, 4 bottles to a pack so will probably be expensive (40 calories to an 8 oz bottle).
Sounds like Guinness.
Is this out yet? Does anyone know when it will be out in Canada?
I love coffee and I love Coke, this sounds like my dream drink.
I tried my first bottle today in San Diego, CA. It is quite good, though pricey… I also wonder - how is the name pronounced?
It’s a really interesting taste. I drank a can of it in France a few weeks ago. It really isn’t like anything I’ve ever tasted before, but I liked it. I’m looking forward to its release in the U.S. though I prefer the can to the bottle.
just bought a four-pak in Mountain View, CA — my initial reaction was mild disappointment, it seemed to have more of a caramel taste rather than coffee — but it grew on me as I drank it — by the end of the bottle, I thought it was OK, certainly drinkable, though not fabulous. I’m certainly willing to finish the other three bottles and I’d consider occasionally buying it.
Tried it. Tastes great if you like the taste of coffee (sweet coffee). Comes in 8 oz. glass bottles. Wouldn’t trust the smooth taste in an aluminum can. No idea on caffeine quantity, but I would guess it’s not much more than a regular Coke. Did not seem to be as much as Mountain Dew (then again, in a smaller serving size).Don’t think I could drink w/meals. A nice afternoon pick-me-up.
I have had the US version and I loved it. I also like the fact that it is small and is half-calorie.
According to Consumer Reports, the formulation is different in the US than it is in France. The French version uses sugar and has a stronger coffee flavor. The US version uses high fructose corn syrup and has a lighter coffee flavor.
There is certainly no doubt that the stuff is expensive. Safeway has it on sale here in Alaska for $1.69/4pk, but will return to $6.49/4pk later this week!
I would have loved to try this drink but for anyone that is health conscious, the use of aspartame and the other noxious artificial sweetener will prevent me from doing so. Why, when there are other far more healthy sweetener substitutes such as Stevia etc., would Coke chemists decide to use Aspartame which is currently suspected to cause a number of health problems? Sigh….
Tried this here in Chicago, IL. I also thought it tastes like caramel, but overall it was really good. If it wasn’t so expensive ($6 for four 8 ox bottles) I’d probably by it pretty often. I usually HATE fake sweeteners, but I didn’t notice the aspertame in this.
Yummmy! I too am going to try it as a mixer for Jack.
I had my first Blak today and LOVED it. I live in Atlanta Ga homebase of Coke. I will go back to the store ASAP and stock up. Yum
I am curious to know if anyone has any actual documentation from Coca Cola about the caffiene content. They do not have it on the label or the coca cola blak site. I would think if it really had all the extra caffiene added, they would have to show that somewhere. I don’t think it has any extra personally. I wouldn’t drink it every day but certainly with some Jack or maybe with Vanilla ice cream as a float! 
Worst
Softdrink
Ever.
Before you drink it, smell it. It smells just like burnt waffles. It tastes like extra strong instant Sanka that has sat around and gotten cold, mixed with Coke. I think the little accent mark on the name BlaK gives it a sort-of yiddish pronounciation, or something like “blaghk”, which is the first reaction when tasting this nasty concoction. The name is right on.
I liked it. At first you mostly taste the coke and then the coffe comes behind, I get hints of caramel and french vanilla in it. I’m definately stockpiling, but it’s pricey, $1.49 for an 8oz bottle!
My stepson brought some over Easter weekend, and I thought it was great. I’ve been searching the stores in vain for it ever since.
Just tasted the Coca Cola Blak and it is by far the best taste I ‘ve had in a long time. I am a starbucks fan but this drink beats all I have tasted from starbucks
Tastes pretty effing good to me, too. No Manhattan Special (that would be the espresso soda local to NYC since forever) but more like a fountain drink–a coffee phophate? I am an aspartame HATER and I can barely taste it in the Blak. (Yeah, god forbid you ever had to say it out loud.)
Anyway, btw. the aspartame and the price ($1.75 for the tiny bottle in Bklyn, NY) repeat purchasing is unlikely for me but, I gotta hand it to them on the flavor.
The first time I drank it, I thought it tasted ok, like coffee flavored hardcandy dissolved in soda water.
I drank it a few more times and it grows on you, I actually like it now.
Coke Blak + Dark Chocolate = Awesome.
Blak is way too expensive. When I wrote an email to complain they dismissed me. But I know if they get enough complaints the price will drop. I am writing Coca Cola a letter to complain about the price of Blak. I sent an email, and they were very dismissive, so I am starting a letter writing campaign. Here is their address if you want to send a letter.
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.
P.O. Box 723040
Atlanta, GA USA 31139-0040
or
Coca Cola
PO Box 1734
Atlanta GA, 30301.
If you want to email, this is their site submission form http://www2.coca-cola.com/mail/eQuery_other.html
(Or you can take Diet Coke and mix it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of iced coffee syrup like Ice Java)
I would like to buy Coke Blak. Do you know where I can Find it in New Jersey onsale?
Coke Blak is gret. I love the flavor and so does my co-workers. I picked up a case here in South Carolina Monday, and it is gone today “thursday”. I need to pick up another case of it for the weekend and try it with Captain Morgan Private Stock.
Should be interesting.
Hey awesome website! I wrote an article about caffeine levels http://www.techmanifesto.com/archives/2005/07/31/what-keeps-you-awake/ and found your site. Keep up the great job.