Introducing Dock Street x Union League LoCL, an exclusive Italian-Style Pilsner created and brewed by Dock Street Brewery for The Union League of Philadelphia.
Dock Street x Union League LoCL - Italian Pilsner - 5% ABV
Dock Street x Union League LoCL - Italian Pilsner - 5% ABV
OCT 20, 2026: LoCL, pronounced “local,” is an Italian-style pilsner created exclusively for League members in collaboration with Dock Street Brewery.
Light, crisp, and approachable, LoCL starts with a traditional lager foundation and adds a more pronounced hop profile for an extra layer of flavor. The result is an easy-drinking beer with just the right balance of familiarity and discovery.
The name LoCL is a nod to the League’s motto, Amor Patriae Ducit, Latin for “Love of Country Leads,” while also reflecting the local collaboration behind the beer. It brings together the League’s traditions, Dock Street’s Philadelphia roots, and the simple pleasure of a cold beer.
LoCL is currently available at 1862 by Martin Hamann, Café Meredith, and Trumbauer’s. It will be available at The Guard House, Marquis by Denny Santiago, Grays, and MacAlester’s later this month.🍺
In Conversation: Union League’s David Ortega sits down to talk beer and collaboration with Dock Street’s Renata Vesey and Dan Helsen
We started this collaboration by sitting down together and tasting through a number of beers. What do you remember about that tasting and the conversation around what the League was looking for? - David Ortega, The Union League of Philadelphia.
I remember a bunch of us sitting outside the big garage door of our brewery on 22nd Street, in the summer sun, with a huge spread of pizza and beers on our table worthy of a Renaissance painting. We tasted a dozen beers (some of us had to work after!) and talked about what characteristics we liked about each one. Renata Vesey, Dock Street Co-Owner
That was a great meeting! I remember the fun back and forth from all the Union League people and us all at Dock Street being excited that they were all excited...that makes it super easy to feed off each other collaboratively and come up with some great ideas. Dan Helsen, Dock Street Head Brewer
At what point did the Italian style Pilsner emerge as the beer that felt right for the League? D.O.
During our initial meeting, we talked about Dock Street's history, the beers we make and our philosophy, and the Union League team talked about the club's history, properties, what the members are like, what they like and don't like, and how we envision the beer being enjoyed. We knew it would have to be extremely versatile - something you could enjoy at any hour, something that would enhance but not hinder your golf game, and something that would be equally at home at "no shower happy hour" at Whitebrier, paired with dinner at Trumbauers, at a cocktail reception, and everywhere in between. R.V.
We kicked around a couple other styles but always came back to the approachability but playful style of our Futuro Italian Pils at Dock Street. D.H.
“The Union League was really jazzed about the new world hop character that we could incorporate into a traditional pilsner, so that was fun to play with and really get outside the box on.”
Dan Helsen, Dock Street Head BrewerWhat was it about the Italian Pilsner that made you think it would be a good fit for the League and its members? D.O.
We all kept gravitating to our Dock Street Futuro during our tasting, and new we'd want to use some characteristics of that beer in creating LOCL. We loved the light sweetness of a lager and the gentle hoppiness of an Italian Pilsner. We knew we could make a great Italian Pilsner that members would enjoy multiple rounds of, and that members, the Union League, and Dock Street could all be really proud of! R.V.
It's fun but easy! You can sit with the style for a while and find new things but at it's core it is just a really well made pilsner. D.H.
For someone who may not be familiar with the style, what defines an Italian-style Pilsner and how does it differ from a traditional German or Czech Pilsner? D.O.
Very similar DNA but the Italian has more hop character. Thats not to say the Czech style doesn't, it's just in a much more traditional sense. D.H.
What do the hops bring to this particular beer, and what should someone notice when they take that first sip?
The hops definitely bring a playful aspect to this beer, they are not straight forward as with traditional pilsner but developing sip after sip and as the beer warms a few degrees. D.H.
How did you approach creating a recipe specifically for the League? Were there elements you wanted to make particularly distinctive? D.O.
All we really knew before we all sat down was that we specifically wanted to target an ABV of 5%-ish so people could enjoy one or three. We wanted it to be refreshing enough for a hot day on the golf course, and we wanted to use elements of our Dock Street Futuro Italian Pilsner, Dock Street El Puffer Mexican Lager and even some of the richness of our Dock Street Golden IPA. It was genuinely really fun to concentrate on honing in on elements we loved or that stood out the most from various beers we brew, and to put those together in a completely new way to make LOCL. R.V.
If this beer had a personality, it would be an elegant, intrepid stranger that somehow feels familiar but you just can't place how you know them. Exactly the kind of person you'd want to sit and have a drink with! R.V., pictured with Union League member and Dock Street can label artist Sarah McMeekin.
When you think about this beer being served at the League, what food, occasion or setting immediately comes to mind? D.O.
The best thing about LOCL is that it goes with everything! I am excited to enjoy it alongside oysters in the summer and gorgeous pasta dishes in the cooler months! R.V.
A bouillabaisse, or nice roast piece of fish would be great. Personally, the higher carbonation resulting in carbonic acid development would cut right through nice curry or spicy Thai dish! D.H
What do you hope League members experience when they finally sit down with a glass of the finished beer? D.O.
On a physical level, I hope members feel delighted and intrigued from the first sip, and get new flavors and notes with each sip as their taste buds open and as the beer changes temperature. On an emotional level, I really want members to feel really special and seen, by Union League leadership and by Dock Street. This beer was made with such intention for an audience that we all know will understand and appreciate it, and I hope that really shines and that it will become something members are proud to drink and proud to share with their guests, too. R.V.
