Just like potatoes, there are seemingly endless ways to prepare coffee beans – ranging from the simple plunger (or ‘French press’, if you’re being fancy), to the café-standard espresso machine, to methods that resemble a science experiment such as the siphon, V60 and aeropress.

One of the brewing methods that’s been (bean?) gaining popularity over the last couple of years is the cold drip. While it might sound like something you’d need to visit your GP for, cold drip is actually a unique way of brewing coffee without using any heat, leaving you with a sweeter, mellower result. It’s ideal for summer, and perfect if you don’t think iced coffee should come with a mountain of whipped cream.

Watching cold drip coffee being prepared can be a bit hypnotic, but (thankfully) the end product will wake you back up! Here’s our round-up of places in Canberra where you can grab one for yourself.

Ona On The Lawns | Manuka
The Cupping Room | Civic
Canberra is lucky enough to be home to Sasa Sestic – the 2015 World Barista Champion, founder of Ona Coffee, and former Olympic athlete (yep… he’s just that good!). For a taste of success, head to one of Ona’s cafes (Ona On The Lawns or The Cupping Room) to see what cold drip is all about. And if you’re keen to brew your own at home, visit the Ona roastery in Fyshwick to pick up your very own cold drip tower and be the envy of your YUCCIE* mates.

Harvest | Civic
When it’s not flat-out being a magnet for office workers on the western side of the city, Harvest is a great place to try out some specialty coffees. Head there after 10.00am (when the public servants have retreated back to the office for either morning tea or their first meeting of the day), and one of their fun-loving crew will be happy to explain the finer points of coffee brewing and extraction.

Two Before Ten | Aranda
Just like a soccer mum, the team at Two Before Ten have truly embraced life in suburbia over the last six months. They’re now gearing up for their first summer at the revamped Aranda Shops, and have a sunny outdoor area to enjoy a glass of cold drip coffee. While you’re there, check out the newly opened Bolt Bar to sample a different, but equally delicious kind of brew – the Aranda Pale Ale.

Espresso Room | Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen
Don’t let their shopping mall locations put you off – Espresso Room is serious about their coffee and giving you a great coffee experience. It has close ties to the Ona Coffee team (and its house blend is produced by Ona), and its talented team of baristas have won awards at national competitions. So, next time you’re after a cold drip after maxing out the credit card at JB Hi-fi, you know where to go.

Coffee Lab | Civic
It’s a sure sign that a coffee shop means business when its machine can talk to another one on the other side of the world to share precise settings around brew temperature, time, volume, and much more. Coffee Lab, as its name suggests, is a specialty coffee house where they’ll go to the ends of the world (literally) to keep uncovering the science behind coffee. Coffee geeks rejoice!

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*‘Young Urban Creative’ – they’re the new hipsters, if you haven’t heard!