Bed of Nails Brown Ale

Review Date 3/24/2026 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Brown Ale   Brewery: Hi-Wire   Country: USA   State: North Carolina   $ Per OZ: $.15 (B), $.50 (D)   ABV: 5.5%

Back in April of 2014, I was wandering the streets of Asheville, North Carolina in search of beer. I was trying to find Wedge brewing, which I never did, and one of the reasons was that on the way I stumbled on Hi-Wire brewing company. You can read about that adventure in my review of Hi-Wire Contortionist Black IPA, but I will say here that Hi-Wire has been a favorite brewery for me ever since.

One of the beers that I tried that day was Bed of Nails Brown Ale. I recall it being delicious at the brewery, but I don’t think I have ever seen it anywhere since. Until now that is, when I found it on tap at the sports bar in Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino. Actually, I had reached my place in line at the bar (they were very busy for a Thursday night) and spied a non-specific Hi-Wire tap.

John: What’s the Hi-Wire beer you have?

Bartender: It’s a dark beer I think...(pauses and looks at something)…a brown ale.

John: The Bed of Nails Brown Ale?

Bartender: That’s it, you know your beer!

John: Beer is my superpower. I’ll take one.

If only slot machines were my superpower too that night, but alas, they were not. Hi-Wire says on their website:

Bed of Nails is crafted as an American ode to a traditional English brown. A light hop addition balances the natural sweetness present in the specialty malt. This beer’s delicate body and dry finish allow flavors of toffee and dark fruit to shine through.

Hi-Wire Bed of Nails Brown Ale has an alcohol content of 5.5% by volume with 21 IBUs. I paid $8 for my pint at Harrah’s, and Total Wine sells it for $13.99 a six-pack of pint cans. That’s not a bad price for 96 ounces of great beer.

My pint of Bed of Nails Brown Ale arrived a deep mahogany in color with a moderate sized head of creamy tan foam and a nose of nutty, cookieish malt. Taking a sip, the beer is medium in body, about what I expect for a brown ale. I get toasted nuts, chocolate chip cookies, toffee and a hint of raisin. The beer is slightly sweet up front but finishes dry with a grassy herbal bitterness.

We do get Hi-Wire in Georgia, so if I see this in cans or on tap at Taco Mac, you know I will buy it again.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??