A New Kind of Cheers: Port Townsend Couple Launches Vivid Sip Club

For generations, celebrations, concerts and evenings out have shared one common ingredient: alcohol.

Keith Hitchcock believes that is beginning to change.

The Port Townsend resident is the founder of the newly formed Vivid Sip Club, a community-focused venture introducing people to the expanding world of sophisticated non-alcoholic beverages. Rather than focusing on abstinence, Hitchcock says the club is about giving people more choices and creating social spaces where alcohol isn't the centerpiece.

"We're at the beginning of a golden age of non-alcoholic beverages," Hitchcock says. "People just haven't discovered how many options now exist."

The beverage market has changed dramatically over the past decade. What was once largely limited to soda, coffee, tea or sugary mocktails has expanded into hundreds of products that mimic the complexity and experience of traditional cocktails, wines and spirits without the alcohol.

While those beverages are becoming easier to find in grocery stores, Hitchcock believes Port Townsend still has relatively few opportunities for residents to discover them.

"I see Vivid Sip as helping accelerate that discovery," he said. "I want people to know what's possible."

The idea grew out of Hitchcock's own life. A five-time melanoma survivor, he began paying closer attention to habits that could affect his long-term health. Although he still drinks alcohol occasionally, he wanted appealing alternatives.

"Alcohol is a known carcinogen," he said. "If I want to live a long life, the non-alcoholic options are going to serve me better."

The club's mission, however, extends beyond health. After moving to Port Townsend several years ago, Hitchcock and his wife, Mary Purdy, enjoyed the town's vibrant food, wine and festival scene. Over time, they realized many social gatherings revolved around alcohol, leaving relatively few appealing alternatives.

"We were yearning for more options," he said.

 That realization sparked the idea of creating events centered on flavorful non-alcoholic drinks while also giving people another way to socialize.

Hitchcock says he has also come to appreciate that alcohol-free gatherings can be especially meaningful for people in recovery or for anyone who simply prefers not to be around alcohol.

"I didn't realize what a big deal that was for some folks," he said.

Mixing fun, learning and connection

Rather than opening a permanent storefront, Vivid Sip Club currently hosts pop-up tasting events where participants sample a variety of beverages while learning about ingredients, flavor profiles and preparation techniques. Vivid Sip’s second event was held at Velocity Coffee.

Upon arrival, attendees were given a warm-up drink, an amuse-bouche, and ushered to assigned tables, which seated four to six people, and were free to mingle for 10 to 15 minutes.

The group remained seated for most of the rest of the evening as they were served five different beverages which ranged from amethyst, to a Rhône Blanc Wine to a sparkling water with a choice of bitters.

He explained properties and flavors of each drink, and attendees were given a scorecard with ingredient lists of each drink, on which they could rate each drink. Each drink spawned lively discussions, both at the individual tables, and among the group, facilitated by Hitchcock and Purdy. 

The “Club” aspect of the business refers to its policy of event invitations being emailed to people who have filled out a form on the club's website. Tickets are generally $25, which pays for the drinks and the entire evening,which runs two hours.

Earlier this year, Hitchcock completed the 10-week Sans Bar Academy, an entrepreneurial training program created by the founder of what is widely recognized as America's first non-alcoholic bar in Austin, Texas. The program introduced him to beverage makers, industry trends and the growing community behind alcohol-free drinks

Purdy, a registered dietitian and co-founder of the venture, helps evaluate products from a nutrition perspective, and shared some of her findings with the Velocity crowd.

"If we're taking out alcohol," Purdy said, "it doesn't really help if we're replacing it with something that's equally unhealthy."

That means paying attention to sugar content and ingredient quality while also emphasizing beverages made with botanicals, teas, herbs, spices and fruit. Hitchcock says creating satisfying drinks relies on balancing flavor rather than simply making beverages sweet.

"A good drink has balance," he said, pointing to combinations of sweetness, acidity, bitterness, savory notes and aromatics.

Some beverages also include ingredients marketed for relaxation, such as lemon balm or L-theanine, a naturally occurring compound found in green tea. Hitchcock emphasizes that the club is not interested in intoxicating substances or psychedelic products, but he remains interested in beverages that offer benefits without alcohol.

The club also reflects the couple's broader values. They hope to feature products made on the West Coast whenever possible and support smaller producers whose environmental and health philosophies align with their own.

Hitchcock admitted that premium nonalcoholic drinks tend to cost as much as craft cocktails or wine, but he hopes future events will include affordable and even free community gatherings so more people can participate. He also sells carefully selected drinks by the bottle.

Looking ahead, he imagines alcohol-free beverage options appearing alongside traditional drinks at festivals, community celebrations and other public events throughout the Olympic Peninsula.

He also sees a potential public-health benefit. Recent discussions about impaired driving often focus on transportation options, Hitchcock noted. He believes expanding attractive non-alcoholic choices could become another piece of the conversation by giving people enjoyable alternatives before getting behind the wheel.

For now, however, his primary goal is simpler.

"This is really about helping people discover different ways of drinking and different ways of socializing," he said. "I think this community is hungry—or maybe thirsty—for it."

To learn more about Vivid Sip Club and join for free, visit https://www.vividsipclub.com