Cold brew coffee brewing system and method

A cold brew coffee brewing system to prepare cold brew coffee by extraction of coffee grounds with brew water in a single-pass, non-immersion extraction operation following a pre-infusion operation to pre-infuse the coffee grounds with pre-infusion water, the system comprising:

• a flow-through extraction vessel to retain coffee grounds for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of the coffee grounds with water to prepare cold brew coffee, the extraction vessel comprising a fluid-permeable support to support coffee grounds in an extraction bed volume in the extraction vessel during the extraction operation;
• a tower unit, comprising a plurality of receiving locations, the plurality of receiving locations comprising:
• a first receiving location configured to selectively receive the extraction vessel in a brewing orientation in an elevated position for the extraction operation, wherein in the brewing orientation the extraction vessel is fluidly open at a fluid exit end adjacent a bottom of the extraction vessel for flow of cold brew coffee out of the fluid exit end for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of coffee grounds to prepare the cold brew coffee;
• and
• a second receiving location, at a lower elevation than the first receiving location, configured to selectively receive a collection container in a collection orientation to receive and collect the cold brew coffee from the extraction vessel during the extraction operation for preparation of a cold brew coffee product comprising the collected cold brew coffee in the collection container;
• a water dispensing system configured to dispense the brew water into the extraction vessel above the coffee grounds in the extraction vessel in the brewing orientation at the first receiving location during the extraction operation;
• and
• a brew control system to control operation of the water dispensing system during a cold brewing process cycle for preparation of the cold brew coffee product, wherein the brew control system comprises:
• a controller unit having stored product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product and configured to execute a brew control operation for performance of the cold brewing process cycle to prepare a cold brew coffee product corresponding to the product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product;
• and
• a user interface in communication with the controller unit, the user interface configured to display information to a user and to receive input of instructions from the user for preparation of the cold brew coffee product;
• and wherein:
• the brew control operation comprises directing the user interface to display at least one control verification prompt prompting the user to input a corresponding control instruction indicating satisfaction of a corresponding process condition to have the controller unit continue with the cold brewing process cycle and to direct performance of a corresponding next stage of the cold brewing process cycle;
• and
• a said control verification prompt is for satisfaction of a said process condition comprising disposition of the coffee grounds in a said receiving location for pre-infusion to receive water from the water dispensing system for the cold brewing process cycle.

A cold brew coffee brewing system to prepare cold brew coffee by extraction of coffee grounds with brew water in a single-pass, non-immersion extraction operation following a pre-infusion operation to pre-infuse the coffee grounds with pre-infusion water, the system comprising:

• a flow-through extraction vessel to retain coffee grounds for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of the coffee grounds with water to prepare cold brew coffee, the extraction vessel comprising a fluid-permeable support to support coffee grounds in an extraction bed volume in the extraction vessel during the extraction operation;
• a tower unit, comprising a plurality of receiving locations, the plurality of receiving locations comprising:
• a first receiving location configured to selectively receive the extraction vessel in a brewing orientation in an elevated position for the extraction operation, wherein in the brewing orientation the extraction vessel is fluidly open at a fluid exit end adjacent a bottom of the extraction vessel for flow of cold brew coffee out of the fluid exit end for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of coffee grounds to prepare the cold brew coffee;
• and
• a second receiving location, at a lower elevation than the first receiving location, configured to selectively receive a collection container in a collection orientation to receive and collect the cold brew coffee from the extraction vessel during the extraction operation for preparation of a cold brew coffee product comprising the collected cold brew coffee in the collection container;
• a water dispensing system configured to dispense the brew water into the extraction vessel above the coffee grounds in the extraction vessel in the brewing orientation at the first receiving location during the extraction operation;
• and
• a brew control system to control operation of the water dispensing system during a cold brewing process cycle for preparation of the cold brew coffee product, wherein the brew control system comprises:
• a controller unit having stored product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product and configured to execute a brew control operation for performance of the cold brewing process cycle to prepare a cold brew coffee product corresponding to the product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product;
• and
• a user interface in communication with the controller unit, the user interface configured to display information to a user and to receive input of instructions from the user for preparation of the cold brew coffee product;
• and wherein:
• the brew control operation comprises dispensing a total quantity of the brew water to the first receiving location during the extraction operation at a brew water dispensation profile;
• the brew water dispensation profile comprises first brew water profile periods of brew water dispensation with a second brew water profile period between occurrences of the first brew water profile periods;
• the second brew water profile period comprises no brew water dispensation or brew water dispensation at a reduced dispensation rate no larger than 25% of a brew water dispensation rate of the first brew water profile periods;
• and
• the brew control operation comprises dispensing a total quantity of the pre-infusion water to a said receiving location for pre-infusion during the pre-infusion operation at a pre-infusion water dispensation profile that is different than the brew water dispensation profile, wherein the said receiving location is selected from the group consisting of the first receiving location and the second receiving location.

A cold brew coffee brewing system to prepare cold brew coffee by extraction of coffee grounds with brew water in a single-pass, non-immersion extraction operation following a pre-infusion operation to pre-infuse the coffee grounds with pre-infusion water, the system comprising:

• a flow-through extraction vessel to retain coffee grounds for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of the coffee grounds with water to prepare cold brew coffee, the extraction vessel comprising a fluid-permeable support to support coffee grounds in an extraction bed volume in the extraction vessel during the extraction operation;
• a tower unit, comprising a plurality of receiving locations, the plurality of receiving locations comprising:
• a first receiving location configured to selectively receive the extraction vessel in a brewing orientation in an elevated position for the extraction operation, wherein in the brewing orientation the extraction vessel is fluidly open at a fluid exit end adjacent a bottom of the extraction vessel for flow of cold brew coffee out of the fluid exit end for single-pass, non-immersion extraction of coffee grounds to prepare the cold brew coffee;
• and
• a second receiving location, at a lower elevation than the first receiving location, configured to selectively receive a collection container in a collection orientation to receive and collect the cold brew coffee from the extraction vessel during the extraction operation for preparation of a cold brew coffee product comprising the collected cold brew coffee in the collection container;
• a water dispensing system configured to dispense the brew water into the extraction vessel above the coffee grounds in the extraction vessel in the brewing orientation at the first receiving location during the extraction operation;
• and
• a brew control system to control operation of the water dispensing system during a cold brewing process cycle for preparation of the cold brew coffee product, wherein the brew control system comprises:
• a controller unit having stored product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product and configured to execute a brew control operation for performance of the cold brewing process cycle to prepare a cold brew coffee product corresponding to the product preparation parameters for the cold brew coffee product;
• and
• a user interface in communication with the controller unit, the user interface configured to display information to a user and to receive input of instructions from the user for preparation of the cold brew coffee product;
• and wherein:
• the controller unit has stored therein a plurality of different sets of product preparation parameters corresponding to a plurality of different said cold brew coffee products for alternative preparation during the brewing process cycle;
• the brew control operation comprises directing the user interface to prompt a user to make a product selection of a said cold brew coffee product from among the plurality of different said cold brew coffee products for preparation during the cold brewing process cycle and waiting for a control instruction making the product selection;
• the brew control operation comprises directing the user interface to display one or more said product preparation parameters for a selected said cold brew coffee product;
• and
• the cold brew coffee brewing system further comprising hierarchical access to the controller unit, the hierarchical access comprising:
• a first hierarchical level of access permitting operation of the controller unit to execute a said brew control operation to perform a said cold brewing process cycle to prepare the cold brew product according to the product preparation parameters already stored in the controller unit;
• a second hierarchical level of access, different than the first hierarchical level of access, the second hierarchical level of access permitting storing in the controller unit a product modification wherein the product modification comprises a member selected from the group consisting of modifying product preparation parameters for a said cold brew coffee product already stored in the controller unit, storing a set of product preparation parameters for a new said cold brew coffee product and combinations thereof, and the first hierarchical level of access does not permit storing in the controller unit a said product modification;
• and
• a third hierarchical level of access, different than the first hierarchical level of access and the second hierarchical level of access, the third hierarchical level of access permitting an operation selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) storing in the controller unit a product menu change to a menu of coffee products for preparation by the cold brew coffee brewing system;
• (ii) accessing stored system utilization information comprising production quantity of a said cold brew coffee product produced by the cold brew coffee system over a period of time;
• and
• (iii) combinations of (i) and (ii)
• and, optionally, wherein the hierarchical access comprises the second hierarchical level of access with the second level of hierarchical access being different than the first level of hierarchical access and different than the third hierarchical level of access.