Flair Bartender Lesson #77: Swipe Thru Exchange
This week’s flair bartender lesson is good clean fun: an easy transition with a bottle/tin swipe thru that will come in very handy for our routines. It’s good working flair that will come in handy behind the bar. And I know I say this about a number of moves, but this flair bartender move just feels good when you do it.
Tips for getting this move down:
1) Make sure you are already very comfortable with the Circle Swipe Thru.
2) At the end of the Circle Swipe Thru, either try and catch the tin up near your shoulder or catch it however you do and bring it up near your shoulder.
3) When you release the bottle across your body, your hand should continue the motion towards the tin. Try not to blind yourself with your forearm.
4) Grab the tin with your palm face-up and bring it around your head as you catch the bottle with your other hand.
5) If you’re struggling with this, set the bottle down. Hold the tin in your left hand. Mimic the motion of the bottle in your right hand as you swipe thru and continue through to the exchange. Practice this with just the tin in hand (no bottle involved) until you feel comfortable with the motions. Then add the bottle into the mix.
Flair Bartending Lesson #52: Tomahawk Swipe Thru
If you’re comfortable with the Fencer’s Flourish and any of the Swipe Thru moves, this move should be simple to learn. Things to keep in mind:
1) Any time you are learning a move with two items and/or two hands, practice each item/hand separately and get comfortable with that first. I promise you this concept has saved me hours of practice time.
2) Once your comfortable with each hand/item, try doing them at the same time. Your hands should move almost simultaneously, with the tin toss just a split second before the bottle maneuver.
3) Practice first with a FlairCo Bottle or an empty bottle. Then fill it 1/4 full and practice again. Then 1/2 full and practice. Then 3/4. Make sure you’re not spilling!