5 ways to connect with Croatian craft beer culture (from Zagreb to the coast)

*****THIS IS A GUEST POST FROM ONE OF OUR AMAZING READERS*****

Greetings to my fellow hop hunters and beer adventurers! The Croatian underground craft beer scene is full of passion and begging for exploration.

Unlike the US or UK, craft beers and microbreweries have yet to enter Croatia’s mainstream. Finding the best brews and craft pubs takes some adventuring. Industrial brew houses dominate the market and taste buds through low pricing and crisp, light flavors.

You’re lucky to find one craft beer on draft and a handful of bottles at most bars and cafes, while supermarkets and convenience stores carry roughly the same offering wherever you go.

However, there is a devoted circle of larger Croatian craft breweries, microbreweries, and contract breweries (also called homebrewers) waging a war of hops and barley to convert tastes one drink at a time.

This guide will help anyone looking to explore the tastes of a budding industry and discover flavors typically absent from everyday bars and shops in Croatia.

How to connect with Croatian craft beer culture

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED

Untappd – Mobile App

If you’ve yet to download Untappd for your smartphone, you best get to it. It’s the most used app for finding, following, and connecting with local craft beer culture in Croatia. There are versions for both Android and iOS.

Aside from the social networking aspect, the app allows you to follow specific bars, venues, and stores. This ties into my favorite feature – notifications when there are new brews on the market. Many of the microbreweries and contract brewers lack brick-and-mortar shops. By following the main craft beer hubs, you can receive notifications when their limited release and super-localized brews come out.

ON TO THE GOOD STUFF

#1 Goblet Beer Store – Zagreb – Store and Tap Room

Goblet Beer Store ZG (Zagreb) is the predominant craft beer hub in the country. If you only follow one shop on Untapped, this should be it. They have a constant influx of new beers, rotating taps, and knowledgeable staff.

If you make it into the cozy store they also sell and fill glass growlers (glass or metal specialized beer containers). This is my favorite way to take home tapped brews, so the freshly poured taste keeps – unlike plastic bottles.

For those outside the capital, they have an online store that ships throughout the country. They also have a sister store in Rijeka, on the northern coast, where you can get your craft beer fix before continuing your travels.

Web Site  |  Untappd  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter

Address: Stupnička ul. 14, 10 000, Zagreb
Phone: +385(0)1 209 1150

#2 Little Beer Shop – Split – Store

The Little Beer Shop is located next to the harbor and the west side of the Riva promenade. They offer a great selection of Croatian craft beers and feature regional bottles from brewers along the coast that can be hard to find in other shops.

Thanks to its prime location, you can grab your beer to enjoy while taking in the seaside.

Untappd  |  Facebook

Address: Trumbićeva obala 7, 21 000, Split
Phone: None listed

#3 Gastro Shop Pomalo – Dubrovnik – Store

Located in the Lapad area of Dubrovnik, this shop carries the widest selection of bottled craft beers in the city. They have a knowledgeable staff and carry select contract brewers that are hard to find in other parts of the country. Following them on Untappd should connect you with all the new bottles coming through the area.

Untappd  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Address: Ul. Miljenka Bratoša 30, 20 000, Dubrovnik
Phone: +385 (0)95 414 6999

Address: Ul. Miljenka Bratoša 30, 20 000, Dubrovnik

Other locations:

• Antuninska 5 (stari grad), 20 000 Dubrovnik – view map
• Kralja Zvonimira 5, 21 000 Split – view map
• Ozaljska 102, 10 000 Zagreb – view map

#4 Glam Beer Therapy – Dubrovnik – Bar and Cafe

This small, craft bar is located in the old town of Dubrovnik and offers a few rotating taps of craft beers, as well as a solid selection of harder-to-find craft bottles. When a new or local contract brewer comes out with a beer, chances are it will go through Glam.

If you are in Dubrovnik, be sure to follow both Glam and Pomalo on Untappd to see the latest local offerings.

Untappd  |  Facebook

Address: Palmotićeva ul. 5, 20 000, Dubrovnik
Phone: +385 (0)91 151 8257

#5 Wine and More – Online Store

If you need cold beers shipped to your door, Wine and More delivers throughout Croatia. The website carries a completely Croatian beer selection, so you don’t have to worry about sifting through imported competitors.

Web Site  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  YouTube  |  Pinterest

Address: No physical shop
Phone: None listed

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• Croatian Wine Cheat Sheet
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• How to read a Croatian wine label
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