Raise a can of Coke/Pepsi and cheer our winner!

We received an email from a group of concerned North Carolina citizens last week that made us think our guess-the-recipe contest should be null and void. It began: "Actually, Pepsi executives just filed an amicus brief in the Indian court stating that they have found the recipe for Coca-Cola."

Thankfully, it went on: "It is as follows: Take a glass of Pepsi and pee in it."

Two readers provided serious, difficult recipes, with one adding an explanation for Coca-Cola Blāk's ābsurd mācron -- "I think it's a marketing scheme to make it seem cooler than it actually is, similar to what a number of 80's hair bands did." Two others came up with easier, and similar, recipes: "Boil caramel. Add carbonated water." and "Start with 1 tsp of sugar. Then add 1 can of Diet Coke. Mix well." Still another pointed out that Cory Doctorow of BoingBoing has already been there, done that, and helped reinvent the product to prove a point.

But we had to give the prize to the very first entry we received, which struck us as funny, true, and funny-'cause-it's-true:

1 part savvy branding
2 parts ubiquitous marketing
97 parts corn syrup

Congratulations, Keith! Email us your address (tips-at-mentalfloss.com), and we'll get your book on its way.