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Olicana is a UK hop variety that caught my attention when I was building a recipe for a tropical-influenced British pale ale, I wanted something that felt genuinely British rather than importing American varieties, and Olicana delivered exactly that. It’s named after the Roman fort at Ilkley, Yorkshire, and has an aroma profile that’s unusually vibrant for a UK variety: mango, passion fruit, and tropical fruit that compete directly with New World varieties, alongside a subtle grassy undertone that marks it as distinctly British. When it’s out of stock, which happens given limited UK production, substituting requires finding something in the same mango-tropical space.
Olicana hop flavor profile
Olicana has a moderate to high alpha acid content (8–10% AA) with an intense tropical aroma profile: mango (most prominent), passion fruit, pineapple, and citrus with a grassy and slightly floral English background note. It’s a modern UK variety bred to bring New World tropical character into the British hop repertoire, similar to how Jester was bred to deliver grapefruit character. Olicana sits at the tropical fruit end of the UK modern hop spectrum, where Jester sits at the citrus end. Used as a late addition and dry hop in modern British pale ales, IPAs, and tropical-fruit-influenced styles. The best dry hop rate is 5–15g per liter for pronounced tropical character.
Best substitutes
Citra (closest tropical substitute): Intense tropical and citrus with prominent mango and passion fruit notes. The most widely available hop in the same mango-tropical character space. Use 1:1, expect slightly more citrus brightness alongside the tropical fruit. Galaxy (Australian tropical): Passion fruit, peach, and tropical intensity very close to Olicana’s profile. Galaxy’s passion fruit character complements Olicana’s mango emphasis. Use 1:1. Nectaron (NZ, excellent match): New Zealand variety with intense mango, peach, and passion fruit. Very close to Olicana in tropical character. Use 1:1 where available. Mosaic: Blueberry, tropical, and subtle mango, less pure-tropical than Olicana but works in the same fruity-aroma direction. Use 1:1. Harlequin (UK, modern tropical): Another UK modern variety with tropical and berry character. Keeps the recipe in the British hop territory if that’s important. Use 1:1.
Substituting in UK-origin recipes
When Olicana is specified in a British pale ale or UK IPA and maintaining the UK hop character matters: Harlequin is the most stylistically appropriate substitute within the UK modern hop family. If UK origin doesn’t matter and matching the tropical intensity is the priority: Citra or Galaxy provide the closest aroma match. One consideration worth noting, Olicana’s subtle British background note (the grassy, slightly earthy quality) doesn’t fully translate to New World varieties, so recipes substituting with Citra or Galaxy will taste slightly more American craft than British craft. For competition judging or recipes specifically showcasing British hop character, sourcing Olicana or using Harlequin is worth the extra effort.
Common Questions
How does Olicana compare to Jester and other modern UK hops?
Olicana and Jester represent two different wings of the modern UK hop program. Jester was bred for grapefruit and citrus character, it’s the British answer to Centennial, delivering the bright, clean citrus that American craft drinkers expect but from Yorkshire-grown hops. Olicana was bred for tropical fruit character, it’s the British answer to Citra and Galaxy, aiming for mango and passion fruit intensity from the same regional hop culture. Both are modern UK varieties, both are used in craft-forward British pale ales and IPAs, and both are noticeably different from classic English varieties like EKG and Fuggle. The practical distinction: if your recipe calls for grapefruit-citrus and Jester is unavailable, substitute toward Centennial or Cascade. If it calls for mango-tropical and Olicana is unavailable, substitute toward Citra or Galaxy. Harlequin sits between them, bridging tropical and berry. These UK modern varieties don’t substitute well for each other because their flavor directions diverge significantly despite sharing a country of origin.
