Here at The Agit Reader, we are firm believers in research and fact checking. Which is why, as a service to our readership, we sampled every beer they’d give us.

18th Street Brewery (Hammond, Indiana)

The guy offered full pints which is always a plus: the more we drink, the more we like! The brewery offered two metal-centric varieties. The Twisted Doom was a typical IPA, but the Toxic Words added honey to the mix, taking the bitter edge and allowing a more mellow finish than most IPAs.

Atlas Brew Works (Washington, DC)

Two samples here. The Rowdy Hoppy Rye Ale was indeed loaded with hops and you could tell the rye was there as well, but the HaSaWoDo (it, of course, stands for Hail Satan Worship Doom) was a real winner. The Black Saison was created just for the festival with a 6.66% alcohol content. Truly the devil doesn’t only have the best tunes.

Burnt Hickory Brewery (Kennesaw, Georgia)

Scott Hedeen, the brewmaster, is a DC expat with ties to the infamous hardcore scene there, and as such, he’s tied in beers with the likes of Black Market Baby, 9353, and Void, whose cherry boysenberry blend is sweet and tart. They also collaborated with Withered, who played the second day of the fest. That beer, a blackberry cobbler weiss, would make a perfect dessert.

Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida)

Cigar City’s Jai Alai is an IPA for people who hate IPAs, lacking the bitterness that turns many people off. But their show stopper is the Divine Blasphemer, which was made in conjunction with Municipal Waste. It’s a smoky, not too heavy porter. Fortunately, there is no actual municipal waste in the brewing process.

Holy Mountain Brewing Company (Seattle, Washington)

The Ox is a citrus explosion in your mouth and your nose since you can really feel the orange peel notes. A fresh taste perfect for summer or metal beer fests.

Hoof Hearted Brewing (Columbus, Ohio)

This brewery, likely named in reference to Columbus’ Cowtown nickname, use lots of weed references for the names of its beers, which have more hops than LeBron James. The IPAs they offered were all pungent and overbearing and had the requisite bitter aftertaste inherent in such brews. If this sounds like your thing, you could do a lot worse. Lord knows we have.

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company (Croydon, Pennsylvania)

Neshaminy, which sounds like something you might slur after having a few too many of their beers, is a local brewery based just north of Philly that is celebrating its fifth anniversary in June. Of the two beers, the Winter Wheat Wine stood out with a fresh taste and deceptively high alcohol content to help you hibernate.

Three Weavers Brewing Company (Inglewood, California)

Breaking out kegs from the other side of the country takes determination, definitely a trait in all good metal bands. Not content to let bands have all the fun, Three Weavers made a beer specifically for metal label Prosthetic Records called Blood Junkie. Barrel Junkie Imperial Red is the barrel-aged version and it is exquisite. They also have an IPA that was A-ok.

TRVE Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado)

TRVE’s Nazareth Double IPA is brewed every year on 4.20 for the band Sleep, who headlined the second day of the fest. The beer is incredibly hoppy, with a smooth finish that is appropriately mellow. You can tell this is the product of a brewery in a state with legal weed.

Unibroue (Montreal, Quebec)

Being a major sponsor meant a huge presence at the fest for Canada’s Unibroue, who had a megatent and brought in Dave Mustaine from Megadeth do a signing. The Megabrew, called À Tout le Monde after one of the band’s biggest hits, is very carbonated and light on the palette, surprisingly supple given the man’s reputation. They also had Ephere whose apple infusion was even more refreshing.