When you open a cold beer, you’re probably thinking about flavor or hops – not whether you’re also sipping the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. But a new study finds that many beers, especially those from small craft breweries, are brewed with water containing PFAS.
Scientists at RTI International tested 23 different beers from around the U.S. and international beers for sale in the U.S. and found over half contained measurable amounts of PFAS. As the world’s third most-consumed beverage, it could increase PFAS exposure for those drinking it.
The researchers’ goal was to find out whether PFAS from contaminated tap water used in brewing could be detected in the beer. They discovered that beer was more likely to contain forever chemicals when brewed in areas with water known to be contaminated with the toxic chemicals – such as parts of California, Michigan andNorth Carolina.
Smaller, local breweries were especially affected, because they probably do not have advanced water filtration systems that could reduce or eliminate PFAS. Breweries, like households and others that rely on municipal water supplies, receive drinking water laced with forever chemicals because of years of industrial PFAS pollution.
Some of the beer even had levels of PFOS or PFOA – two of the best-studied and notorious PFAS – that exceeded the level the Environmental Protection Agency now considers safe for drinking water.
The researchers from RTI, which describes itself as an independent scientific research institute, used a PFAS testing method approved by the EPA.
PFAS in drinking water
In 2024, the EPA introduced the first-ever federal limits on six PFAS in drinking water. But these protections could be rolled back.
EPA data shows 158 million people are exposed to “forever chemicals” in U.S. drinking water. PFAS have been detected at more than 9,190 locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories.
Many of the detections come from tests of the nation’s drinking water supply conducted as part of the EPA’s Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. The rule requires U.S. water utilities to test drinking water for 29 individual PFAS compounds.
More results are expected soon, as additional water systems complete tests through the end of 2025.
The RTI researchers found a clear link between PFAS levels in a region’s drinking water and the amount of PFAS detected in beer brewed in those areas. About 18 percent of U.S. breweries are located in ZIP codes where PFAS have been found in municipal water supplies.
Health risks of PFAS
Beer is the third most consumed beverage in the world, right behind water and tea. That means even small amounts of PFAS in beer could increase people’s overall exposure to these chemicals.
PFAS are a class of thousands of chemicals known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in both the environment and the human body, never breaking down and accumulating over time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has detected PFAS in the blood of 99 percent of Americans, including newborn babies.
For decades, polluters hid the health harms of PFAS from regulators, workers and neighboring communities. PFAS have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, immune system damage and other serious health problems, even at low levels.
The new beer study is the first to use official EPA test methods. Researchers hope the results will support the push for stricter PFAS regulations, encourage breweries to upgrade water treatment systems, and help consumers make safer, more informed choices.
The next time you raise a glass, consider not just what type of beer you’re drinking but also the water it was brewed with.
Here are a few steps you can take:
- Know your water. Check your area’s PFAS levels using tools like EWG’s PFAS map and the Tap Water Database.
- Ask your brewery. Reach out to your favorite beer brand to see if they test or filter their water for PFAS.
- Support clean water policies. Defending the EPA’s landmark drinking water limits for PFAS is the best way to protect all communities from this pollution.
- Use a water filter at home. Some are designed to reduce PFAS, which can also improve your cooking water’s quality.
