El Dorado

Bright tropical fruit with pineapple and mango leading, backed by pear and light floral notes.

Where It Lives

• Tropical & Citrus (primary home)

Storytime

El Dorado was released around 2010 and has carved out a solid reputation as a bright, fruit-forward hop. It delivers clean tropical character - often leaning toward pineapple and mango with a touch of pear. While it hasn’t reached the superstar status of Citra or Mosaic, it’s become a reliable choice for brewers looking for juicy aroma without too much aggressive pine or resin. It works especially well in modern IPAs and pale ales.

Key Specs

• Alpha Acids: 13 – 15%
• Total Oil: 2.0 – 2.5 mL/100g
• Origin: United States
• Form: Pellet
• Common Substitutions: Citra or Mosaic (in some recipes)
• More tech specs here

Practical Use

El Dorado really comes alive in late additions and dry hopping, where it brings that bright pineapple and mango character forward. It’s not quite as loud as Citra or Mosaic, which can actually be an advantage - it plays well with other hops without overpowering them.

On the dry hop side, most people land somewhere between 2–4 oz total in 5 gallons for solid impact. You can push higher if you want, but it doesn’t usually benefit from the super heavy rates that some of the more intense hops can handle. It tends to stay cleaner and brighter when you don’t overdo it.

Best for: Late boil, whirlpool, and dry hopping. Brew day tip: It pairs nicely with Citra, Mosaic, or Amarillo if you want to build more complexity, or it can stand on its own in simpler recipes.