Process for making coffee concentrate

A batch process for making coffee concentrate at low temperature without heat pasteurization which results in a product that has a room temperature shelf life, the process comprising:

• placing ground roasted coffee beans in a holding tank,
• adding water in a temperature range of about 75.degree. F. to about 90.degree. F. to the ground coffee in the holding tank at a ratio of between 60 to 80 ounces of water per pound of coffee, depending upon the type of coffee and its grind,
• stirring the mixture by pressing ground coffee which floats on the surface of the water in the tank down into the tank at selected intervals while retaining all of the originally added water in contact with said ground coffee for a predetermined time in the order of 24 to 48 hours and maintaining the temperature of the resulting mixture within the 75.degree. F. to 90.degree. F. predetermined range,
• draining off concentrate from the holding tank and prefiltering to remove solids,
• filtering the concentrate to about 0.2 microns to remove bacteria and produce a sterile concentrate by recirculating the prefiltered concentrate through a cross-flow filtration unit at a selected rate of flow,
• bottling the faltered concentrate in an aseptic bottling line utilizing positive air displacement during the bottling process by placing the concentrate in a container and flushing with nitrogen gas to remove oxygen, and
• sealing the container.