We all know that the classic Coke bottles come with a red cap, right? So imagine my surprise when I found out that they were selling Coca Cola bottles with yellow caps instead of red earlier this year. Is it a manufacturing mistake? No, definitely not. A special edition? Sort of. The yellow cap actually signifies that the recipe is kosher for Passover, as Reader’s Digest details:
If you’re unfamiliar with Passover, it’s a Jewish religious holiday that occurs during spring and lasts for seven days in total. During the holiday, Jewish people are prohibited from owning or consuming leavened foods (known as chametz), which include five main grains: wheat, spelt, oats, rye, and barley.
However, it’s common for some Jewish people to recognize another category of forbidden foods (known as kitniyot) that includes corn, rice, and beans.
How does all of this affect Coke? While the regular Coke formula is kosher year-round, it contains corn syrup, so it isn’t considered kosher for Passover by Jews of Eastern European descent. Because of this, Coke temporarily replaces the corn syrup in its recipe with sugar. This kosher Coke is marked with a sunny yellow cap!
While intended for Jewish people who celebrate Passover, these “Original Taste” Cokes are a favorite for many Coca-Cola fans. Plenty of people buy the yellow-capped Coke because they love the flavor or want to avoid high fructose corn syrup.
Image via Reader’s Digest