Rooster Broo
Distribution: Public Archive
I hear the slogan is based on an intoxicated Australian heckler.” – Rabbit
In the Door to Door Paranormal Mystery series, there is a small running joke about the slogan for Rooster Broo, the most popular beer in the Empire.
The beverage with the infamous slogan is first introduced in Through the Door. Emily Swift, along with her best friend Tara Parker-Jones and Rabbit, attend an art show opening at an event in Vue, where they hope to find Emily’s wandering/runaway mother, Lydia. One of the snooty waiters weaves through the throng, serving complimentary glasses of champagne to attendees. Because he’s so rude, Tara gives him a hard time and tells him that she’d rather have a Rooster Broo. She starts to quote the naughty slogan, but a commotion drowns her out.
…The server sighed and turned back toward us. “Ladies?” he said, sniffing as he reviewed our outfits.
“Thanks,” I said, embarrassed, but taking a flute. I didn’t plan on drinking it but wanted to do something with my hands.
Tara’s eyes narrowed. Oh, boy. “I don’t suppose you have any beer?” she asked.
The server frowned. “Beer? No. We are not serving beer.”
“Too bad,” she said. “I was hoping for some Rooster Broo.”
“Tara,” I warned.
“Because I like their slogan,” she continued.
“Tara!” I grabbed at her arm.
“Do you know what it is?” She leaned toward the server—who was looking particularly uncomfortable.
Tara’s next words were drowned out by a commotion erupting across the room…
Later in Through the Door, when Tara and Rabbit are resting and drinking Rooster Broo at a Vue art festival, the two discuss the popular beverage. Rabbit says, “I hear the slogan is based on an intoxicated Australian heckler.”
It’s true! The slogan for Rooster Broo IS based on the slurred comment from a drunk heckler as described by a Scottish-Indian comedian who toured through Australia.
Spanning Series
Rooster Broo also appears in the Bellerose Witchline series. In Crossing the Witchline, Sebastian St. Michel finds a bottle of the popular beer behind the ketchup in the back of Lucie Bellerose’s refrigerator.
In Walking a Fine Witchline, Rooster Broo appears in the very first chapter, when Lucie and Rabbit (and Big Rabbit) attend a music festival. Inside the festival VIP tent, the Rooster Broo reps (female) hand out cold ones to the growing throng. Stretched across the front of their shirts…the outrageous slogan (revealed in Walking a Fine Witchline).