The Bird is the Word

Tippin’ the bird to the Eagles, flippin’ the bird to the Chiefs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Taylor Swift fan, but I am also a Bills fan. Being a Bills fan I think they got done wrong in their game against Taylor’s boyfriend and his Head & Shoulders quarterback. Getting the Chiefs into the big game has all the makings of a conspiracy theory to me.* Having the Chiefs at the Super Bowl means having Swift there too. Which means a whole new demographic of viewers. My granddaughters were debating whether Travis would propose, and if Taylor would be Lamar’s secret guest at half time. ** It also means pricier ads, and might make up for the pretty lame halftime show, as judged by my teenage granddaughter, who was watching the game. Just saying.

Time for a Burdock brew, and the bird is the word.*** Are we talkin’ one duck, two ducks (or was that three)? Nope, we’re flying high tonight with an Eagles’ win and a Sun Bird. There is such a thing as a sunbird for you or·ni·thol·o·gists, and there is a car named Sunbird for those of you that couldn’t afford a Firebird. ****

Would the real sun bird please stand up.

A muted lemon yellow pour with a slim white meringue frosting on top of this layer cake. An aroma of juicy citrus with mild hops. The taste is light and citrus mango juicy, easy drinking with a mild hoppy finish. Light, bright and as refreshing as a Phillies win. A very slight fizz enhances the freshness. A well balanced sea side, pool side, dock side or by my side pale ale that worked just fine as my Super Bowl celebration libation.

*Editor’s Comment: As for the Swift effect, it is estimated that Swift’s impact on the NFL includes a 20% increase in sponsorships, a 53% increase in teenage girls watching, and a 24% increase in women ages 18 to 24. Beyond the female increase in fans, viewership in general is up. It is estimated that Swift’s attendance has generated an additional $330 Million in brand value for the Chiefs and the NFL.

**Editor’s Comment: The +750 odds on “Yes” was countered by -1500 odds on “No” regarding a Travis Kelce proposal post game. The bet was essentially a parlay wager of betting on both Kelce to get down on one knee and the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl; no one was proposing on the field after a loss. The odds for Swift doing a cameo in the half time show were +90 Yes to -1329 No. It only goes to show that in America you can bet on just about anything.

***Editor’s Comment: If the line “the bird is the word” sounds familiar, you are recalling a 1963 song by The Trashmen, entitled “Surfin’ Bird”. The line “the bird is the word” is repeated at least 20 times in the song or more in live versions. The Trashmen “wrote” the song, after hearing another band play a cover of a similar song by the Rivingtons called “The Bird’s the Word”. Eventually The Trashmen gave The Rivingtons credit for writing the song after being threatened to be sued for plagiarism. The Cramps (1978) and the Ramones (1977) also covered the song.

****Editor’s Comment: The real sunbird (the bird) looks nothing like the bird on the beer can. It is a small colourful bird with a long curved beak and long tail feathers. They are native to most of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South-east Asia and southern China, as well as Indonesia, New Guinea and northern Australia. The Pontiac Sunbird (the car) was available from 1976 to 1994. The name tried to gain some traction (pun intended) from the popular Pontiac Firebird, although the name was about the only similarity. The Sunbird was the smallest Pontiac at the time, meant to compete as a sporty sub-compact which may well be an oxymoron.

Final Rating: The Bird is the Word at 16 out of 20

Cranky Reviews

The Bird is the Word

Pale Ales

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The Bird is the Word

Pale Ales

15 to 20

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Old enough to know, but not to know better?