Adult non-alcoholic beverages have gotten better.
The way we talk about them hasn't.
Education for the people who make, serve, and sell adult non-alcoholic drinks.
The why
A guest asks, "What's it like?"The answer is "Good." Or "Not too sweet."It's an answer that doesn't really answer anything. And a guest who chooses not to drink alcohol often gets a drink without intention or defaults to a soft drink.Adult non-alcoholic beverages need a common language, not just better products.
Four-Pillars™
Build a drink that holds together
Flavor Tribes™
Help a guest or customer find the right drink by asking what they're in the mood for or the occasion
VATS+S™
Evaluate a drink and explain why it works
Who I teach
Industry professionals
Schools and programs
Professional associations
Teams and brands
— ABOUT THE ELEVATED BEAR
I’m Scot, founder of The Elevated Bear.
It started with a third soda at 10:30 p.m.
Waiting for that drink, I thought, “I’m not going to sleep tonight,” which led straight to: “Why aren’t there better crafted, adult options for people who don’t want to drink alcohol?”Those two questions sent me looking for answers, starting with Dr. Kevin Peterson’s Cocktail Theory, which opened up a whole new world of how drinks can be built with real intention.My goal is to help you create a shared language for adult non-alcoholic beverages centered around hospitality to guests who don’t drink, can’t drink, or don’t feel like drinking in the momentEveryone deserves something in their glass that’s as unique as they are.
Adult Non-Alcoholic Beverages Don't Have a Demand Problem.
They have a language problem.Adult NA drinks have come a long way.How the industry talks about it, hasn't.
Guests ask:
"What is it like?"
The response:
"It's refreshing."
"Not too sweet."
"Kind of botanical."
A shared language on how to evaluate a beverage turns vague menu descriptions into a sensory journey, recommendations become consistent from server to bartender, and guests receive clarity when ordering.
That's the problem VATS+S™ was built to solve.
Monday, October 12, 20262:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. CT / 12:00 p.m. MT / 11:00 a.m. PT
$50 · Live, 60 minutes · Bring an adult non-alcoholic beverage and glass25 seats
Instant confirmation email with calendar invite.
| V | A | T | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual | Aromatic | Taste | Sensation | Significance |
After This Webinar, You’ll Be Able To
01
Evaluate an NA beverage through five fixed checkpoints.
Use Visual, Aromatic, Taste, Sensation, and Significance to move from a broad first impression to a complete, useful evaluation.
02
Turn sensory detail into menu-ready language.
Move beyond ingredient lists, generic descriptors, and personal preference. Describe what the drink is like, how it develops, who it may be for, and why it matters.
03
Make better guest-facing recommendations.
Use a clearer read of the beverage to explain flavor, texture, structure, and guest fit in ways that support more confident service conversations.
04
Build a repeatable process for your program.
Apply the same framework to new product evaluations, menus, tasting notes, team training, vendor discussions, brand storytelling, recipe development, and sales conversations.
05
Apply the method live
Bring one NA beverage of your choice and work through VATS+S™ during the session. You will not merely hear about the framework—you will use it.
What You’ll Leave With
This is not a passive webinar.
It is a live working session built around a method you can use whenever a new NA product arrives, a menu needs rewriting, a team needs better recommendation language, or a beverage needs to be understood before it is put in front of a guest.
By the end of the session, you will have:
A working understanding of the five VATS+S™ checkpoints
A completed VATS+S™ evaluation of the NA beverage you bring
A repeatable evaluation process for future products
Clearer language for describing sensory experience
Better inputs for menu descriptions and staff recommendations
A method for separating sensory observation from personal preference
A framework you can adapt to the work you already do
One system. Every drink. Your voice.
Why $50
This is not a generic tasting. It is not a passive lecture. And it is not a one-time opinion about one beverage.It is a live working session built around a practical system you can use every time you need to evaluate, describe, position, or recommend an NA beverage.Bring one drink. Apply VATS+S™ live. Leave with a completed evaluation and a repeatable method for making NA beverages clearer to your team and easier for guests to choose from.For $50, you receive a tool that can help you:
Spend less time starting from scratch evaluating adult non-alcoholic beverages
Create a more consistent language across menus and service
Engage your guests, customers, and readers with tailored recommendations
Easily communicate a beverage’s flavor, texture, and intended experience
Build a stronger foundation for how you present adult non-alcoholic beverages
I’m Scot, founder of The Elevated Bear.
It doesn't matter why someone isn't drinking alcohol. What matters is if that drink is worth drinking.The first thing your offered at a restaurant or when you walk into someone's home is typically a drink.I created the Elevated Bear because hospitality is about making people feel welcomed.The adult non-alcoholic beverage industry is booming. Now we need a way to talk about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is VATS+S™ for?
VATS+S™ is built for everyone that wants a better way to evaluate an adult non-alcoholic beverage.
Do I need to work in hospitality to attend?
Not at all. Just bring an adult non-alcoholic beverage that you want to explore.The framework is useful whether you are evaluating an RTD, building a zero-proof menu, training a team, writing product language, or deciding how an NA option should fit within a broader beverage program.
Is this a lecture?
No. It's a facilitated guided workshop.
What should I bring?
Bring an adult non-alcoholiic beverage. It can be a drink you've built yourself or ready to drink beverage (RTD). If you're choosing an RTD, please have a glass with ice to pour it in to.
What will I leave with?
By the end of the 60-minute session, you will have:
A completed VATS+S™ evaluation on your beverage
A repeatable five-point method for evaluating future adult non-alcoholic beverages
Better descriptive language and recommendations
A clearer way to distinguish sensory observation from personal preference
A process you can adapt for product evaluation, staff training, menus, tasting notes, and conversations
Will I make more money with VATS+S?
The workshop is designed to create a repeatable and scalable system that can support your sales strategy.The Elevated Bear does not promise a guarantee. Everyone's outcome is dependent on practicing and using the system.
Can more than one person attend?
Absolutely. But each attendee needs to have their own registration.If your'e interested in a private VATS+S class, please contact me at [email protected].
Will there be a recording?
No. However, the session will be recorded for quality control and internal purposes only.
What happens after I register?
You will receive an instant confirmation email and calendar invitation with the live-session details as well as a VATS+S evaluation PDF you can download for the class.
Bring A Drink. Leave With a Better Way to Share It.
Join the live VATS+S™ working session on Monday, October 12.Bring one adult non-alcoholic beverage. Use the framework live. Leave with a clearer evaluation, stronger guest-facing language, and a repeatable method you can use across your beverage program.
Monday, October 12, 20262:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. CT / 12:00 p.m. MT / 11:00 a.m. PT
$50 · Live, 60 minutes · Bring an adult non-alcoholic beverage and glass25 seats
Instant confirmation email with calendar invite.
Ideas, frameworks, and field notes on building better non-alcoholic beverages.
Every other Tuesday at noon CT, I'll share ideas, frameworks, and field notes on building better non-alcoholic beverages.
THANKS!
I’m Scot, founder of The Elevated Bear.
Thanks for joining the newsletter.New issues come out every other Monday at noon, CST.While you're waiting for the next issue, feel free to check out the site!Cheers,Scot