The invention relates to a process for the production of a liquid coffee concentrate that has an improved storage stability at ambient temperature. The process comprises (a) extracting roast ground coffee, (b) separating the extract either by fractionation during extraction or by aroma recovery after extraction, resulting in high and low aromatic coffee extracts, (c) concentrating the low aromatic coffee extract to a dry mater content of at least 10%, (d) subjecting at least 25 wt.% of the concentrated low aromatic coffee concentrate to a heat treatment of at least 150 deg.C for at most 15 minutes, and (e) combining the low aromatic coffee concentrate with the high aromatic coffee concentrate. The pH is increased after step (b).
