2 Salt Lake City bars, 4 wintry cocktails

We're in the thick of winter, so warm up with these tasty seasonal concoctions from two very different Salt Lake bars:

HandleBar, 751 N. 300 West

With dive bar vibes and a bicycle-plus-mustache theme, HandleBar is a come-as-you-are spot to subdue the chill.

A hot one: Release the Kraken, $13

• It's a coffee drink with Kraken rum and butterscotch schnapps that compliment the crushed peppermints way better than I expected.

A cold one: Letterkenny, $14

• Basil Hayden Dark Rye, maple spice syrup, cinnamon and lemon with a festive rosemary sprig — over ice to make a not-so-hot toddy fit for a snowman.

Alibi, 369 S. Main

This upscale cocktail bar puts a meal's worth of culinary strategy into their drinks, so come in from the cold long enough to really savor the treat.

A sunny one: Yule Be Fine, $14

• Two types of rum and cardamom-coconut nog bring the tropics to the cozy herbs and spice of Averna and anise.

A cloudy one: Fog Breather, $13

• Get your Bob Cratchit on with Ransom Old Tom Gin and Earl Grey tea under a cloud of aquafaba. One of the best cocktails I've had in a long time.