PFAS in local beer come from local water

So-called forever chemicals in sources of drinking water can find their way into beers brewed nearby, a new study suggests (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est4c11265).

“What we’re seeing is that at least in some breweries, there are not filtration steps that are effective for PFAS,” or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, says Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, who led the study at RTI International, an independent research institute. She notes that reverse osmosis or activated carbon is needed for effective removal of PFAS.

Redmon and her colleagues bought 23 beers from breweries in a number of areas in the US impacted by PFAS, including California, Michigan, and North Carolina, as well as in Mexico and the Netherlands, then analyzed them for 17 molecules found in the substances. The researchers detected PFAS in 15 of those beers—and more than 30 parts per trillion (ppt) in one beer brewed in North Carolina. For comparison, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced in 2024 that drinking water should contain no more than 4–10 ppt of each of six PFAS.

The levels of PFAS in the beers largely correlated with those reported in drinking water near the breweries. That correlation suggests that the water—which makes up about 90% of a finished beer product—could be the main contributor of PFAS, Redmon says. Most of the identified PFAS were well-known problematic compounds, including perfluorooctanoic and perfluorohexanoic acids and their sulfonic acid counterparts, and a fluorotelomer sulfonate commonly found in firefighting foams.

Redmon hopes that the team’s findings could help breweries manage the PFAS levels in their beers. In addition, she says, PFAS levels in drinking water may start declining as municipalities install PFAS-removal systems over the next few years to meet the EPA’s drinking-water regulations.

“You can still enjoy drinking a beer if you want to—I still do occasionally,” Redmon says. Next, the researchers aim to study PFAS levels in other beverages like sparkling waters or mocktails.