Your Beer May Contain ‘Forever Chemicals’

Your favorite beer likely contains the same contaminants as the PFAS-laced municipal water used in its brewing process.

A glass of beer in Laguna Beach, Calif., on Jan. 20, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Many beers sold across the United States contain “forever chemicals” that mirror contamination levels in local drinking water supplies, according to new research.

An April study found 17 different compounds in nearly all beer samples tested from breweries nationwide, and some beers contained levels that exceeded Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety limits for drinking water.

Water Contamination Creates Trickle-Down Effect

The research, recently published in Environmental Science & Technology, suggests a strong correlation between contaminated municipal water sources and levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in beer—meaning that the higher PFAS in the water used for brewing often resulted in higher levels in the beer—with smaller breweries particularly affected. About 18 percent of U.S. breweries operate in areas where tap water contains detectable PFAS, contributing to contamination of the final product.