A cold brew coffee brewing system to prepare cold brew coffee by extraction of coffee grounds with brew water in a single-past, non-immersion extraction operation uses a tower unit with first and second receiving locations to receive a pre-infusion container for preparation of a pre-infusion mixture of coffee grounds during a pre-infusion operation and to receive an extraction vessel containing the transferred pre-infusion mixture for extraction processing to prepare cold brew coffee product, which is collected in a collection container received in the second receiving location of the tower unit. A brew control system controls operation of the water dispensing system during a cold brewing process cycle, and including a controller unit having stored therein multiple profiles for different cold-brew coffee product that may be prepared at the direction of the controller unit. A network may include multiple such cold brew coffee brewing systems connected with a central server.

Provided is an apparatus for preparing a coffee beverage portion from a volume of water and a mass of coffee beans. The apparatus includes a brewing chamber for containing the ground coffee. The chamber admits water via an inlet. The water contacts the ground coffee contained within the chamber, and exits the chamber via an outlet. A ground coffee supplier dispenses coffee beans to the chamber, and a water supply supplies water to the chamber. A controller controls the ground coffee supplier and the water supply such that the coffee beverage portion is brewed in a plurality of brewing steps. Each brewing step includes passing a fraction of the water volume through the chamber so as to contact a further fraction of the coffee beans mass during a time period equal to the desired brewing time. Further provided is a method of preparing a coffee beverage portion.

Various automated and semi-automated beverage preparation systems and methods are shown. The beverage preparation system can include a container assembly configured to receive beverage, such as a milk. The container assembly can be configured to receive a flow of steam, air, or additional gasses and vapors to heat and/or aerate the beverage residing therein. The container assembly can include a temperature sensor configured to monitor the rate of heating, and automatically adjust the heating and aeration parameters accordingly.

The portable coffee brewer is configured for use in brewing coffee. The portable coffee brewer comprises a containment pan, a brewing pan, a lid structure, and a control circuit. The lid structure and the containment pan attach to the brewing pan. The control circuit mounts in the brewing pan. The control circuit controls the operation of the portable coffee brewer. The lid structure encloses the brewing pan. The containment pan contains accessories associated with the brewing and consumption of beverages. The beverage pan forms the space within which the beverage is brewed. The control circuit heats and circulates a fluid stored within the beverage pan for the purpose of preparing the beverage for consumption.

A beverage forming method and system arranged to allow a user to adjust a volume and flow rate of liquid provided to a brew chamber so that a dispensed beverage is suitable for mixing with ice, e.g., to form an iced coffee beverage. In some cases, a user may provide input indicating that an iced beverage should be dispensed during a beverage dispensing operation. For example, after a dispensing operation is started to dispense a beverage having a particular volume, a user can adjust the beverage volume to be smaller and suitable for mixing with ice.

Temperature control for extracted beverages, including coffee, via controlled vacuum, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system includes a brew chamber, a beverage chamber in fluid communication with the brew chamber, a vacuum source in fluid communication with the beverage chamber, and a flow control device positioned to vary the force applied by the vacuum chamber on the brew chamber via the beverage chamber.

An espresso machine is provided that utilizes a mechanical valve in addition to a flow meter. This results in a low-cost espresso machine while delivering a measured volume of water for the espresso pour. The mechanical valve facilitates a machine with both selectable espresso pour and steam and/or hot water outlets. In this embodiment, the espresso machine utilizes a shared pump and water heater (e.g., a thermoblock, boiler or similar) for multiple functions and/or through different outlets. For example, water from the reservoir may be sent through the flow meter to the pump, then to the water heater, and eventually to either the grouphead or steam wand, or to a pressure release.

Provided is an imitated pour-over coffee maker capable of high-temperature control, including: a body having therein a water tank and a coffee-making tank; a human-machine interface module; a first coffee-making module; a second coffee-making module; a first control module; and a second control module for reading a signal of a third temperature sensor to control a second solenoid valve to perform coffee-making commencement or perform water-return commencement for returning water to the coffee-making tank. High-temperature control can be exercised over water dispensed by the delivery head, thereby optimizing the automation of imitated pour-over coffee making.

A recirculation brewing process and apparatus for performing the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the coffee brewing process comprises: a brew chamber to hold a packed chamber of coffee grounds; and a pump to force a liquid under pressure through the packed chamber of coffee grounds to extract coffee flavor from the coffee grounds into the liquid using acoustic cavitation.

A method for controlling an automatic coffee bean grinder (2) which is separate from an automatic coffee brewing machine (1) using ground coffee produced by said coffee bean grinder (2), is shown, wherein a flowmeter sniffer element (15) is located in or at a housing (3) of said coffee brewing machine (1) is capturing the water flow-through information measured by a water flowmeter (5) of said coffee brewing machine (1), and transmits the water flow-through information to a grinder control unit (26) located in the automatic coffee bean grinder (2), and the grinder control unit (26) controls the grinder module (24) as a function of the water flow-through information transmitted from said flowmeter sniffer element (15).