Trending Sip: Pickle cola, Oreo Coke and other dirty soda concoctions

SINGAPORE – My first birthday party was well-supplied with cartons of Coca-Cola. Despite being all of 12 months old, I apparently had an affinity for the soft drink and guzzled multiple cans throughout the night, my mother recently reminisced.

I gave up cola for many years between my toddler and young-adult years. But I now find myself returning to it and other sodas – specifically, their zero-sugar versions – as a way to slowly wean myself off sugary snacks and alcoholic beverages. 

It helps that reinventing soft drinks with new and unexpected flavours and mixers has become de rigueur, with a new viral recipe emerging every year: from fake cola (sparkling water and balsamic vinegar) in 2022 to tea-infused Sprite (tea bags cold-brewed in lemon-lime soda) in 2023.

And now, pickle cola is having its day.

Credit English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa for this soda cocktail. In early October, the 29-year-old pop sensation – who will perform at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Nov 5 and 6 – posted a TikTok video that shows her pouring pickle brine and jalapeno juice into a cup full of Diet Coke and ice. 

She then garnishes the drink with pickles and jalapenos, jostles the plastic cup for a cursory stir and takes a sip.

She does not explain why she enjoys the drink or how she came up with it, but it was apparently important enough to be among the pinned videos on her TikTok profile. 

The unexpected combination got netizens, and other celebrities, buzzing.

British chef Gordon Ramsay posted his own TikTok video in which he sampled the unusual cocktail. He was not a fan, immediately spitting out his first swig with a shocked exclamation: “Dua Lipa, for God’s sake, girl!” 

Not exactly a glowing recommendation. But, from olives to sauerkraut, I have yet to meet a pickled or fermented vegetable that I dislike.

So I give it a go, with a couple of deviations. I substitute with spicy cornichons – which are made from whole mini cucumbers – instead of Lipa’s milder sliced gherkins, and Coca-Cola Zero instead of Diet Coke.

I haphazardly guess at the ratios of each liquid that Lipa uses, and initially end up with a drink that tastes of pickle juice and nothing else.

But adding more soda brings a complex balance to my glass – the spicy-sourness of the cornichon juice and jalapeno brine round out the sparkling sweetness of the cola.

The drinks writer in me cannot resist tossing in a splash of vodka, which heightens the heat of the pickles for a different burn.

As I munch on the cornichon garnish, I almost feel like I am drinking a caffeinated and carbonated version of a dirty vodka martini, which is usually made with olive brine, vodka and dry vermouth. 

But even without any alcohol, this can be a fun, zero-proof beverage for any social gathering. Add some bar bites like manchego cheese slivers, chorizo sausage slices and corn chips with salsa.

I also stir up a pickle cola variation using zero-sugar Lime Coca-Cola – imported from Thailand – that I found while browsing my neighbourhood budget retailer. I would hesitate to describe it as anything close to real or artificial lime juice, but it is unique.

Still, when I let the incredibly fizzy drink flatten out for a few hours, it tastes like something I want to have at the next taco night.

One does need an appreciation for savoury-sweet flavour combinations to enjoy pickle coke.

But all you need for Oreo Coke, the other trending cola concoction, is a sweet tooth – or, at any rate, an appreciation for Oreo sandwich cookies.

The new zero-sugar drink is The Coca-Cola Company’s latest seasonal novelty flavour. Previous iterations have been more abstract, such as the space-inspired Starlight Coke. 

I did not taste space in the Starlight Coke, but I find the Oreo Coke pleasantly reminiscent of Oreo cookies in aroma and taste.

Perhaps it is the synergy of the cola’s caramel notes and the cookie’s hints of cocoa flavour, or a collision of all the additives that make junk food taste so good. 

In contrast, the Coca-Cola flavour is less obvious in Oreo Coke’s sister product: Coca-Cola flavoured Oreo cookies, which smell and taste more like cola gummies than cola itself. 

Nevertheless, I have fun experimenting with the Oreo Coke – I try it with some almond milk, a la pilk or milk coke, in which cola is mixed with milk. The result is a fizzy, creamy drink reminiscent of ice-cream floats.

In homage to one of my favourite childhood treats of Oreos with a cup of milk, I dunk a cola-flavoured Oreo cookie in my glass of Oreo Coke and milk.

If milk-and-cola is a step too far for you, consider a cola mixer that went viral on Malaysian social media in 2021: Milo powder instead of milk.

If you are trying to increase your protein intake, tweak that to protein powder to make a “protein cola” instead. This could also work with a fruity clear whey isolate protein powder and lemon-lime or orange soda. 

In fact, there is a whole world of “dirty soda” to get lost in. In the United States, soda shops have become popular, as a guilty pleasure that does not involve drugs or alcohol.

Popular soda “cocktails” offered by these shops include the Island Time, made of grapefruit soda, passion fruit syrup, mango puree and coconut cream.  

It is likely that the soda trend will continue growing as people increasingly seek out zero-proof beverage options.

Society is shifting towards health-conscious choices, and multiple studies have shown that the Gen Z cohort is less inclined towards alcohol than older generations. 

As for me, I am already anticipating the next novelty flavour or viral recipe. Perhaps we will even see something with Singaporean or Asian flair, such as grass jelly cola or pandan lemon-lime soda. 

Until then, I have an interesting way of using up leftover pickle juice.