The Humpolec brewery has lost one of its key creators. On the evening of August 16, 2026, Josef Vávra, co-founder, master brewer, and CEO of Rodinný pivovar Bernard, died after a short and severe illness. The man who stood at the birth of one of the most prominent Czech brewery brands passed away at the age of 66. He left behind not only hundreds of award-winning recipes but also a story of unwavering will and craft integrity.
Josef Vávra was not just a manager; he was, above all, the heart of production. While his long-time partner Stanislav Bernard focused on economics and marketing, Vávra was responsible for the quality and the brewing process itself for all 35 years of their joint venture. He was the author of the unique recipes that transformed the originally dilapidated facility into a respected company exporting to dozens of countries worldwide.
Josef Vávra was the author of Bernard beer recipes and personally supervised its production and quality for all 35 years at the brewery.
From Political Adversity to a Privatization Milestone
Josef Vávra's life journey began on October 24, 1959, in a farming family in the Humpolec region. Although he originally dreamed of a career as a naval captain, the political regime of the time forbade him, as the son of a farmer, from studying at prestigious schools. However, Vávra did not give up and fought his way through craftsmanship. He trained as a maltster, studied at a technical high school while working, and finally graduated with excellent results from the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague.
He gained his first professional experience at the Ostravar brewery in Ostrava, where he also first met Stanislav Bernard. A key moment for the Czech brewing scene occurred in 1991. It was Josef Vávra who initiated the idea of participating in the privatization auction of a dilapidated enterprise in Humpolec. Together with Rudolf Šmejkal, they managed to acquire the brewery on October 26, 1991, for what was then an astronomical sum of 52 million Czech crowns.
In 1991, the founders auctioned off the dilapidated Humpolec brewery for the then astronomical sum of 52 million Czech crowns.
Family Empire and the Malt House in Rajhrad
Under Vávra's technological leadership, Rodinný pivovar Bernard transformed from a company on the brink of collapse into a modern enterprise. Josef Vávra was not content with just managing in Humpolec; from 2000, he also intensively dedicated himself to the development of their own malt house in Rajhrad near Brno. The brewery truly became a family business in the truest sense, as evidenced by the involvement of other family members in the company's operations.
Many members of the Vávra family still hold key positions at the brewery:
- Wife Iva — heads the quality control department at the brewery.
- Brother Petr — has been with the company since its inception as the head of maintenance.
- Daughter Jana — applies her experience in the marketing department.
- Other relatives — other siblings and family members have been or still are part of the team.
Sports Discipline Applied to Craftsmanship
Vávra's precision and dedication also stemmed from his athletic past. In his youth, he competed at a high level in running, and although he declined a place on the national team for personal reasons, the sporting spirit never left him. Later in life, he became a successful sport shooter, achieving success in international competitions. Despite all his professional and sporting achievements, he remained faithful to his region – he lived in a secluded house near Humpolec, surrounded by nature.
“A professional has left us, one who truly loved his work and dedicated himself to it to the fullest. A partner has left us, with whom for over thirty years we jointly fulfilled what we only dreamed of at the beginning. Josef was the heart of every one of our beers – without his enthusiasm and craftsmanship, our beer would not be what it is. A good friend has left us. We will all truly miss him, both professionally and personally,”
Colleagues from the brewery remember him as a big-hearted person who selflessly helped others. Josef Vávra is survived by his wife Iva, three children, and two grandchildren. The brewery he helped build from ruins now faces a new chapter without its master brewer, but with the strong foundations that Josef Vávra built during his three decades of work.