Love or hate it, winter in Fernie, BC can mean bone-chilling days along with the bountiful snow. 

Layer up and banish the chills by wrapping your hands around a tasty hot beverage. Here are four of our favourite soul-warming drinks from unique Fernie eateries. Perfect when you're in need of a pick-me-up.

Beanpod’s Dark Chocolate Mocha

The moment you step into Beanpod, you will see that these guys mean business when it comes to chocolate. The floor flows directly into the production area, subdivided by a viewing window. Here, Beanpod roast fresh coffee alongside their range of chocolate. The unique flavours derive from their preference for old-fashioned techniques, sacrificing speed for freshness and flavour. You can see the process while waiting for your hot brew to be served.

If you have a ‘ski hard, party hard, recharge’ mentality, the Dark Chocolate Mocha will keep you going strong throughout the whole ski season. Three shots of espresso, combined with a dollop of house dark chocolate, frothed, and steamed.

Best served with; Sweeten the deal with a bar of Beanpod's speciality Dark Chocolate. There are plenty of choices from pure dark chocolate to bars with infusions of mint or pomegranate. Our pick is the Fernie Nib Bar – a chocolate bar crushed and blended with rare Nacional Cacao Nibs.

Beanpod; 621 2nd Avenue, Fernie 

Infinitea’s Chai Latte

Infinitea T-Bar & Boutique is slightly off the main street. You could catch them on a quiet day when there's no live music, craft workshops, tarot readings, hula hoop class, or any other amazingly wacky events occurring inside, but where's the fun in that? This cosy tea lounge invitingly encourages you to put your feet up, enjoy a cuppa and simply let time pass by. Alternatively, participate in said wackiness and impress somebody with your hula-hooping skills.

Infinitea’s own brewed chai blends organic coconut water, cinnamon, vanilla clove, pepper, nutmeg, star anise, and cardamon and finished with milk for a spiced infusion that is complex yet and delicate. Ask for almond milk if you prefer a lactose-free alternative.

If it has been an especially tough day (skiing, shopping, or otherwise), then go a bit extra and ask for the Coco Chai Latte, which adds a shot each of Baileys and Crème de Cacao to kick things up a notch.

Best served with; Homemade Baklava – A baked filo treat layering pecans, almonds and light pastry, all fused together with honey. Flaky, and just like the chai, delicate.

Infinitea T-Bar & Boutique: 501 1st Avenue, Fernie

Mugshots’ Coco Chai

The Mugshots hot drinks menu is packed with loads of great options, but it’s the Coco Chai that really stands out. A comforting twist of cinnamon chai fused with a heartwarming mug of cocoa emanates the aroma of Christmas.

Early risers will love this cosy spot for breakfast on the comfy couches by the window, a great place to enjoy the sight of the snow falling outside.

Best Served with: The Nanaimo Bar is a Canadian favourite. Requiring no cooking, it features compacted layers of cookie crumb, custard, and choco-peanut butter for an extra sweetness boost.

Mugshots Cafe: 592 3rd Avenue, Fernie

Griz Bar's Mogul Smoker

The Griz Bar has been around since 1962, back when the resort was known as Snow Valley Ski resort, and the famous Mogul Smoker has an equally long history. Virtually every ski run at Fernie Alpine Resort leads to the plaza right outside the Griz Bar's doors; make this your first stop on unbinding at the base.

The name is shared with the pre-winter season party to appease The Griz — the snow god responsible for Fernie’s epic snowfall. The drink itself is a cocktail of rum and kaluha, mixed with a 50/50 split of hot chocolate and coffee, topped with whipped cream, and garnished with a cherry. It's aesthetically pleasing and potentially the only thing tastier than the sweet pow passing over your head following a 60cm snowfall.

Best served with; The House Nachos, laden with melted cheese and beef. A firm apres-ski favourite and the mammoth serving size means there's plenty to go around as everyone in your ski group is sure to dive in.

Griz Bar: Mountain Plaza, Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie

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