Spike Tank alternative: DrainPro bottom-drain kettles compared

The Spike Tank and the DrainPro are both bottom-drain brew kettles. Compared the same way, with a CIP lid on both and the false bottom counted in the mash tun, a 20 gallon set of all three vessels is about $800 less from Bräu Supply.

The Spike Tank and the DrainPro are both bottom-drain brew kettles. Compared the same way in Canadian dollars, with a CIP lid on both and the false bottom counted in the mash tun, a 20 gallon set of all three vessels is about $2,000 CAD less from Bräu Supply, before Spike’s shipping and import charges.

DrainPro vs Spike Tank

What Spike does well

Spike has made brew kettles for about ten years and has a large community of owners. The Tank is a solid bottom-drain kettle, and Spike also sells complete Solo and Trio systems built around its kettles.

Where the DrainPro comes out ahead

• The CIP lid is included. Every DrainPro vessel ships with a lid that has a welded tri-clamp port for a spray ball or steam condenser. On a Spike Tank that lid costs extra.
• The false bottom is included. The mash tun ships with a laser-cut false bottom and recirculation ports, and from 20 gallons up it has a hinged grain door for emptying the mash.
• A floor that drains completely. The floor slopes to a welded 1.5" tri-clamp drain, so wort and rinse water leave the kettle without tilting it.
• A delivered price. US orders over $600 ship free to the lower 48 with tariffs and duties paid by us.
• Canadian dollars, no border. You pay in CAD and it ships from Vancouver, with no duties or brokerage to deal with.

Which should you buy?

Choose the Spike Tank if you already own a Spike Solo or Trio and want a matching kettle.

Choose the DrainPro if you want a bottom-drain kettle for less, with the CIP lid and false bottom already included. Buy one vessel now and add the others later: they share the same tri-clamp fittings and stack into a HERMS or RIMS hot side.

FAQ

Is the Spike Tank the same as the Spike OG kettle?

No. The OG has a flat tri-clad bottom and side ports, like our Tri-Clad kettle. The Tank has a domed bottom with a bottom drain, which makes it the Spike kettle to compare with the DrainPro.

Does the DrainPro come with a CIP lid?

Yes. Every DrainPro boil kettle, mash tun and hot liquor tank comes with a lid that has a welded tri-clamp port, at no extra charge. Spike Tanks ship with a standard lid: a CIP lid is a US$52.80 add-on that replaces it when you order, or a separate lid at US$98.40 to US$198 if you decide you want one later.

Where are Spike kettles made?

Spike says it welds the fittings in Milwaukee; its product pages don’t say where the kettle body is made. US customs bills of lading list 78 sea shipments to Spike Brewing from November 2015 to September 2021, including stainless steel pots from China. No shipments under the Spike Brewing name appear after September 2021: since October 2021 Spike has used US Customs manifest confidentiality, which keeps an importer’s name off the public shipping records. Our DrainPro vessels are also made in China to our design and assembled in Vancouver, and we say so.

Does the DrainPro mash tun come with a false bottom?

Yes. Every DrainPro mash tun includes a laser-cut stainless false bottom with 1 mm slots and recirculation ports. Spike sells its Spike+ false bottom separately.

Can I add an electric element to a DrainPro boil kettle?

Yes. It has a 1.5" tri-clamp element port for a 5,500 W 240V element or a 1,650 W 120V element. See what each needs on the electrical requirements page.

What size brew kettle do I need?

About 1.5 to 2 times your batch size: a 10 gallon kettle for 5 gallon batches, 20 to 30 gallons for 10 to 15 gallon batches. There’s a full chart in our brew kettle guide.

Sources, checked November 7 and 8, 2026: Spike Tank; Spike+ false bottom; Add-On CIP Lid; CIP Lid; Spike OG kettle; US Customs and Border Protection bills of lading for Spike Brewing, via ImportYeti. Spike and Spike Tank are trademarks of Spike Brewing. Bräu Supply is not affiliated with Spike Brewing.