Sisyphus? SillyFuss? SomeOfUs? Paranoid? Me? What???

Happy New Year.... and breathe... that was a pretty full on few weeks - hope you survived and thrived! 

Back in the freezing office this am and took advantage of some quiet to read the PMI report (we get it on first release as manufacturing contributors). It wasn't dire. I mean it could have been better and we all know we aren't exactly booming as a country but the trend kind of seems like Sisyphus [dude that had to push the boulder up the hill] is almost onto that flat ground... Not that Sisyphus ever made it but at times in 2025 it felt to many of our customers that the same challenge was faced by them - and here we are! You made it - well done and hope reflecting on the wins, or even just making it can give you a real feeling of satisfaction.  

I think there are some reasons for cautious optimism this coming year... hope you can feel the same way. 

Yep - that was a busy December - we didn't quite get the stocking of Sundown and Satisfaction right and are out for around 3 weeks... I know it is a pale rather than a golden but the Moondance is so "on" at the moment I'm pushing that hard as a substitute! 

I went to a NYE party and they had a pin of bright Moondance on stillage... there were only around 10 blokes there not all of whom drank beer... but the Moondance went with those 6-7 of us drinking only having 2 pints each... Odd maths. 36pints minus 14pints should leave 22 pints... but the late teenagers/early twenties had discovered it... on one had I was disappointed not to get more myself... on the other, I was delighted the youngsters were drinking proper beer... and luckily I had some back up Sundown so we were all good! 

The Optimism Bias is! I think this is a good thing. Humans generally tend to overestimate the chances of good outcome. Whist I really dislike the online gambling adds on TV most of the time - they just upset me and are a scourge on hard working folk's wallets - money that could be spent on beer! - generally, optimism is I think, a good thing. 

This picture below pretty neatly sums up how it works but the point is we get there in the end! 

One further thing from the PMI report that is worth mentioning is that whilst manufacturing and production are just about getting their heads above water and inflation is slowly ebbing away, the trend that looks horrible to me is the employment one. This to me actually leads to some cautious optimism as just maybe Westminster's majority will figure out the negativity of NICs etc... Don't know about you guys but I would pay our people more if we made money, which in our case can only come from growth ... which is expensive and needs investment... which you only do if you feel  like policy will not penalise you... anyhoo - the point is that what was warned of is coming to pass and a change in direction would be very welcome! 

2026 is going to be a good year. It is decided...  Fingers crossed for the most important catalyst - human and economic - of peace wherever there is violence. 

Wishing you and all yours all the very best for the year ahead. 

To begin the year as well as possibly, important you have some fffabulous beer on - so what can we bring you? 

Xen

P.S.

A man walks into a library and asks the librarian if there are any books in the library about paranoia.

The librarian doesn't look up from her work but whispers "they're right behind you!" 

Sorry, not sorry! Have a great 2026 and don't be paranoid, leave that to me! X