Everyone hates to be a buzzkill, but here's something to note: Recent studies have found that some beers brewed in the United States have high levels of "forever chemicals" and are considered above the allowed EPA limit.
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A team from the ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology conducted a study to find out how polyfluoroalkyl substances or "forever chemicals" get into beers and how much they contain.
And the results were astonishing, showing that 95% of beers tested had PFAS. PFAS, or more specifically, perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, are a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in various industries since the 1940s. The EPA recently established a limit for them in drinking water because researchers discovered they're linked to cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage, and fertility problems.
“As an occasional beer drinker myself, I wondered whether PFAS in water supplies was making its way into our pints,” says research lead Jennifer Hoponick Redmon. “I hope these findings inspire water treatment strategies and policies that help reduce the likelihood of PFAS in future pours.”
The team tested beers from areas with known documented water system contamination, along with some other popular beers with unknown water sources. There were 23 beers tested in all.
The American Cancer Society reported that the highest levels of PFAS were in beer brewed near the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina, an area with known PFAS pollution.
The research team concluded, "Our findings indicate a strong link between PFAS in drinking water and beer, with beers brewed in areas with higher PFAS in local drinking water translating to higher levels of PFAS in beer, showing that drinking water is a primary route of PFAS contamination in beer."
The New York Post noted that "The findings suggest that standard water filtration systems used in breweries may not effectively remove forever chemicals, highlighting the need for improved water treatment strategies at both brewing facilities and municipal treatment plants."
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