What really is "craft cola"?
In a recent blog post I wrote about what "craft cola" is. But when I think about what I wrote, I'm not sure I'm really happy with it. This post is maybe going to be a little more philosophical and personal than some can bear, but if you're interested in why I'm conflicted about what I wrote, I'd be honored if you took the time to read it.
When I first heard "craft cola" it was in Japan, where I found a number of small brands creating cola syrups and drinks using natural ingredients. In fact the "craft" aspect is similar to how we use it for beer or cocktails, so I had some idea of what it meant inherently. These brands all had a slightly unique take on a cola syrup recipe along with some common beats. But there's no single ingredient that was always in a recipe (well, except maybe water...).
I mentioned citruses like orange, lime, and lemon. Of course, a citrus-y note is very well known as a core ingredient in cola, but is it required? Many recipes used other fruits and I myself am experimenting with cherry, ginger, grape, and cranberry. In these cases, I may omit the citrus. Is it still cola? Yes, I'd say it's still cola.
I also mentioned the kola nut, where cola got its name from. I personally want to teach people about the kola nut, but it isn't a requirement in cola recipes. Many recipes omit it entirely. So is it still cola if it doesn't include kola nut? Well, we've been calling the big brands "cola" for years despite them removing kola nut ages ago so yes, it's still a cola.
Then there are the spices. Is there a spice that must be in cola? No, I don't think so. It should be spicy but does it have to be? Well, not really. Some may describe different syrups as "bitter" or "acidic" or "tart", rather than spiced. But they're still colas.
So what makes cola a "cola"? (Allow me to get corny for a second) What makes anything "anything"? It's a constant debate about all sorts of things (usually sandwiches) and it does have value in some instances (like the law) but there's many things for which I hate speaking in absolutes.
It might be unsatisfying to some, but words can rarely capture anything in its entirety on their own. But we need words to convey some sort of meaning quickly to people. We have to take shortcuts. And so, we create words to classify groups of things.
That's why "craft cola" is so interesting and fun to me. Cola feels unbound from any single tradition and is a combination of inspirations from all over the world. There is a sort of shape to what cola is, but what makes it "cola" could just be that someone, a human being, wanted to call it cola. It feels like cola. People can plausibly believe it's cola, but they don't have to.
This is a long winded way to say that cola doesn't really have an absolute definition. Few things do, but it's sort of important that it feels like cola. This half-definition would have upset me in the past. Early on in my career as an engineer, I found myself falling into the pit of cynicism and simplified logic that so many get trapped by. It felt like everything had to be defined and constrained by hardcoded numbers and parameters. It wasn't the fault of engineering alone, as I was also going through tragedies in my life that I was trying to rationalize and feel strong about, but I managed to escape this way of thinking. Of course, it is imperative to determine what really are pure facts in life, but there are many things where it's nice to consider that there may be more than meets the eye (or ear or taste buds). There are always so many things not said when we speak or write, but are still there.
Just like cola! I want my craft cola to look simple, but have depth and complexity to it. What's interesting to me is not "what is craft cola" but what "craft cola" means to you. That's why it's not enough for me to just sell a commodity on shelves. I want to be out there serving it to people and meeting you. Maybe at the end of the day for some of you it is just another consumer product. But maybe to some of you it means a little more. Maybe it can inspire you to do something bold and with intention and put yourself out there.
And so you will see me out there! The world we live in is so beautiful and complex. I spent over a decade working with computers and spent so much of my youth afraid of other people, pessimistic, and sad. My world has brightened through the inspiration of people out there working on their craft and extending kindness to others. I don't want to see the world reduced to numbers and statistics and set-in-stone definitions.
There's a sort of irony to writing these words down. Lots of people feel this way and instead of writing a blog about it, they're out there being living examples. And I know there's a lot I missed. Maybe I'll write about this more one day, or maybe you'll have to hear from me in person. Or maybe there are things I can't even verbalize but you'll be able to pick up and put words to.
We'll see! In the meantime, keep wandering!
- Wander Cat Cola
(Note: Everything here should be taken with a grain of salt!)
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(My cola pairs well with salty food. In my opinion!)