Flair Bartending Lesson #68: Forearm Stall
I’m not gonna lie, the Forearm Stall took me awhile to learn. It’ll probably take you a lot of practice, too. It’s a bit frustrating trying the same move 100 times and only kinda-sorta-landing it once, but it will come with time and practice.
Start by making sure you’re already good with the Double Over the Shoulder. Probably won’t hurt you to get good with the Double into Stall or the Double into Tin either, though I suppose it’s not necessary. Make sure you are uber-consistent with your throw: you should be able to catch it evenly and consistently in the same place every time.
Also, as goofy as it may seem, practice just holding the bottle on your forearm. Try to be able to hold it there while you walk around the room or spin around in circles like a pretty ballerina. Some people catch the bottle close to their elbow, others close to their wrist. I catch it wherever the hell I’m lucky to have it land.
The only other tip I have for this move is – much like the hand stall – don’t “dead hand” it. Learn to “read” the bottle a little – learn to anticipate its rotation and slide your forearm in underneath it at a slight angle, cradling it a bit and letting it come to rest as you find the balance.
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