POSLOVNI ĐIR Hrvoje Paštar

Guest Hrvoje PaštarHosted by Vojgana KoharevićMay 3, 2026

Hrvoje Paštar

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

The craft beer movement in Croatia didn't arrive fully formed; it was built by a generation of enthusiasts who turned their kitchens into labs and their passions into businesses. Hrvoje Paštar, co-owner of TapB brewery in Split, represents that shift. An IT professional by trade, he and his friends started as homebrewers, eventually opening a microbrewery that now stands as a testament to patience, precision, and the power of community. He shares the quiet, persistent work behind the scenes: the six-month bureaucratic maze to get permits, the decision to buy used equipment before even securing a space, and the commitment to natural ingredients that defines their product. This isn't a story of overnight success, but of a deliberate, step-by-step construction of a business rooted in quality. You'll walk away from this conversation with a clearer understanding of what 'craft' truly means in a competitive market, and how a shared passion, even among competitors, can build an entire industry.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

After about a hundred homebrews, Hrvoje and his two friends decided to open a brewery. The transition from hobby to business often isn't a single leap but a gradual accumulation of small, repeated efforts that build competence. Don't scale until you've truly mastered the craft.

They first bought used brewery equipment in Slovenia, *then* looked for a space in Split that needed complete internal demolition and adaptation. Starting a physical production business often means securing the essential machinery first, even before you have a home for it. The asset dictates the space, not the other way around.

The regulatory process for opening TapB, from sanitary to customs permits, took 'about six months' alone. The real timeline for a regulated physical business isn't just construction; it's the invisible administrative gauntlet that runs in parallel. Factor in the bureaucracy before you factor in the build.

Hrvoje defines a craft brewery by its private ownership, stating, 'all these smaller breweries...are privately owned, not by some large corporation.' Authenticity in a crowded market often means explicitly rejecting the corporate parentage of competitors. The 'craft' isn't just in the product, but in who owns it.

TapB beers are made with '100% natural ingredients without any additives or preservatives,' which 'of course, dictates a slightly higher price.' When competing with industrial giants, the price premium for natural ingredients isn't a drawback; it's a core part of the value proposition. Don't compromise quality to match prices; let the quality justify the higher cost.

Hrvoje, an IT professional, taught himself brewing, guided by his wife (a food technologist) and her friend (who owns Zmajska pivovara). The most effective 'reskilling' isn't found in formal courses but in the informal network of knowledgeable people already in your life. Look to your dinner table and your friends' friends before you look to the classroom.

TapB learned regulations and production details 'on the fly from other breweries,' noting 'there are now about ninety small craft breweries in Croatia, and we are all friends, we all exchange information.' In a nascent industry, collaboration with competitors can be a powerful accelerator. A shared knowledge base among rivals builds the category faster than isolated efforts.

While hops are imported, TapB sources its barley from 'BDS from Nova Gradiška' in Croatia, noting 'many Croatian breweries use it.' Even in a globalized supply chain, local sourcing for a core ingredient can become a point of pride and a mark of quality. Where domestic options are strong, anchor your product in them.

TapB's 1000-liter brewing process involves precise temperature control for mashing, an hour-long boil with hops, rapid cooling, and 2-3 weeks of fermentation. The magic of a craft product often lies in the meticulous, time-consuming steps that large-scale operations cannot afford. The process itself, not just the ingredients, becomes a differentiator.

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