Survive St. Louis winter at 5 bars with first-rate hot drinks

There’s nothing more comforting than getting out of the cold and bellying up to the bar for a warm mug of boozy goodness. Here are five spirited spots offering first-rate hot drinks.

1. Planter’s House
Part of Planter’s seasonal roller derby-themed menu, The Jammer features both Plantation Xaymaca and El Dorado 3-Year rums along with Big O ginger liqueur, house-made chestnut syrup, lime juice and butter. Think of it as a warm, wintry take on a mai tai. 

2. Frazer’s Restaurant & Lounge
Drinkers in the know cozy up with the French Mexican Hot Chocolate, an off-menu specialty at Frazer’s. Herbal Green Chartreuse and spicy Ancho Reyes chili liqueur play nicely with a topper of hot chocolate capped with a flamed marshmallow. 

3. Taste
The festive Feral Children at Taste promises to keep the chill at bay. The drink is built on a split base of Rittenhouse rye whiskey and Old Forester 100 bourbon. Ginger liqueur, chai-sorghum syrup and lemon balance things out, while Angostura and Suze aromatic bitters add some complexity. 

4. Reeds American Table
For those after a traditional tipple, Reeds has all the boozy bases covered. The house hot toddy is available with a choice of aged rum, brown butter-washed rum or whiskey. House ginger syrup, lemon and cinnamon round out the wintry mix. For something lighter in alcohol but still big in flavor, try Reeds’ mulled wine with cinnamon, star anise, clove, fennel seed, Sichuan peppercorn and citrus. 

5. Eclipse Restaurant at the Moonrise Hotel
Get on board the polar beverage express with Eclipse’s Sweater Weather. Dark fruit and spices abound with house-made, quince-infused cognac leading the way and creme de cocoa, allspice liqueur, cinnamon and heavy cream making up the caboose. 

Matt Sorrell is a staff writer at Sauce Magazine.