It's a coffee with both mass-market appeal and indie credibility," is how the New York Times described cold brew, a hip and edgier alternative to its traditional hot version. As the trend catches on in the city, we speak to Rizwan Amlani, founder at Dope Coffee and Roasted Today, to understand what's brewing.

"Cold brew was first made in Japan with the Kyoto drip [a low-drip coffee style]," Amlani tells us, a fact many have claimed, arguing that its roots can be traced to the 1600s, and indicating that the Japanese might have imbibed the method from the Dutch. The drink however, gained currency in the Asian country 30 years back, he tells us, adding, "It spread like wildfire only when Third Wave coffee roasters started experimenting in USA."