(Portsmouth, NH) – Todd Alstrom of Beer Advocate reported yesterday that Redhook Brewery, based in Portsmouth, NH, and Woodinville, WA, will bring out of retirement its top-ranked Redhook Double Black Stout (with an all-new look vs. what is shown above). The redux of this beer in bombers is the first in a series of new limited releases to come from the brewery beginning early November 2008.

Double Black first debuted in 1995 and generated a cult following. Though it hasn’t been brewed in eight years, its following spawned dozens of ratings by memory or old notes at RateBeer. The beer’s signature was a complex coffee kick coming from the inclusion of Starbucks Coffee. According to the article, the beer is also expected to sell at an affordable price point of $5.

The announcement marks a new trend for some of the larger breweries. Charlie Papazian noted at the Craft Brewers Conference this past spring that extreme beers amounted in more sales than any other craft segment. The larger breweries, traditionally focused on styles more palatable to the general public, are taking note. Redhook joins Harpoon Brewery as the second major brewer in the past month to announce a new limited edition craft-focused brand. Boulevard Brewing made a similar change in focus late last year when it introduced its Smokestack Series. Not only are these breweries going extreme, they appear to be dialing directly into what beer people want. Note that all three breweries just mentioned are bringing back their brands with the best beer ratings.

This news comes a day after Redhook completed a merger with Widmer Brothers to become a new company called the Craft Brewers Alliance. The now defunct Brew Blog noted back in November that the new company could become the 3rd largest craft producer if it hits 600,000 barrels. However, neither brewery fits the craft definition due to their affiliation with Anheuser-Busch (not independent). Redhook’s stock (HOOK) has tumbled over the last year down from around $8/share to close to $4 though it has rebounded slightly in the last couple days.