Hold My Beer: The Linkage between Municipal Water and Brewing Location on PFAS in Popular Beverages

Abstract

Beer has been a popular beverage for millennia. As water is a main component of beer and the brewing process, we surmised that the polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) presence and spatial variability in drinking water systems are a PFAS source in beers. This is the first study to adapt EPA Method 533 to measure PFAS in beer from various regions, brewery types, and water sources. Statistical analyses were conducted to correlate PFAS in state-reported drinking water, and beers were analyzed by brewing location. PFAS were detected in most beers, particularly from smaller scale breweries located near drinking water sources with known PFAS. Perfluorosulfonic acids, particularly PFOS, were frequently detected, with PFOA or PFOS above U.S. EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Limits in some beers. There was also a county–level correlation between the total PFAS, PFOA, and PFBS concentrations in drinking water and beers. Given that approximately 18% of U.S. breweries are located within zip codes with detectable PFAS in municipal drinking water, our findings, which link PFAS in beer to the brewery water source, are intended to help inform data-driven policies on PFAS in beverages for governmental agencies, provide insights for brewers and water utilities on treatment needs, and support informed decision-making for consumers.