What’s your favorite cocktail?
“I really like the taste of a Negroni. This cocktail has a good harmony because of the Italian bitterness of the Campari, the spicyness of the gin and the sweetness of the Vermouth. I always try to get ingredients that allow me to make different cocktails. Smart preparation and purchasing always saves you a lot of time in making the cocktails.
When friends come over for a drink, I often make several variations. From the Dark&Stormy or the Moscow Mule to the now so popular Esma; or Espresso Martini. That one is quite intensive to make. Or at least it used to be.”
What do you like about the Airtender Electric?
“With the Electric, it is a lot easier to make cocktails because you don't have to shake. And even if you don't have much ice, making cocktails is easier, since you only need cold ingredients. All because you can mix cocktails directly in the glass with the Aerator.
That's how you can make an Esma quickly and without breaking a sweat: pour the ingredients in a glass, inject air and your done."
How about the foaming?
"I love making foam with the Aerator. You instantly create a beautiful foam layer that has a lot of flavour. In addition, you retain much more aromas. If you pour a cocktail from a shaker into a glass, you quickly lose some of those aromas.
Because you make the cocktails in the glass, you also keep those aromas in the glass. That creates much more intensity. A floral scent or the scent of a spirit comes out so much better.”
Who is Elder Dias?
Elder has been working as a professional cocktail maker for over 18 years. He has been a mixologist in various Rotterdam bars and now teaches at Zadkine's 010 Bar Academy. Giving practical lessons in cocktail making to hospitality students as well as lecturing about the theory of spirits. In the weekends - if time permits - you might occasionally find him shaking cocktails behind a bar somewhere in Rotterdam.
