Lagunitas PFAS Lawsuit Alleges IPAs Contain ‘Forever Chemicals’ Above EPA Drinking Water Limits

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that The Lagunitas Brewing Company has failed to disclose that some of its beers are contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at levels that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found pose a serious health risk.   

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The 25-page Lagunitas IPA lawsuit claims that the brewer has failed to disclose that certain beers produced at its Petaluma, California, facility contain PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” at levels well above EPA limits. The complaint stresses that PFAS pose significant health risks and may lead to cancer, liver damage, fertility problems, and an increased risk of developing asthma or thyroid disease.

According to the Lagunitas lawsuit, PFAS are “highly persistent” synthetic chemicals that accumulate in the body and environment over time, meaning that even small amounts of “forever chemicals” can have negative impacts. The complaint states that the EPA and state regulators have found that exposure to PFAS can negatively impact the immune system, the cardiovascular system, and the reproductive system, while increasing the risk of cancer.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the “strong evidence” that exposure to PFAS can cause myriad adverse health effects, the case adds.

The case says that independent testing conducted in 2026 found that the Lagunitas IPA samples at issue contained high levels of PFAS, specifically perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The suit relays that Lagunitas beer contained 694 percent of the EPA’s legally enforceable limit for PFOA in drinking water and 395 percent of the enforceable limit for PFNA in drinking water, while a “widely sold” competitor’s beer contained no PFAS.

The lawsuit contends that this is likely not the first study to indicate that Lagunitas beer contains PFAS. In April 2025, the case says, a high-profile independent study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology found that an “undisclosed beer” brewed in Sonoma County, California, contained levels of PFAS that the EPA has found pose health risks. The suit adds that the study was picked up and widely disseminated by the brewing industry’s trade press. 

The complaint argues that Lagunitas, as the largest and only national brewery in Sonoma County, should have been on notice that its beers contained PFAS but failed to take remedial measures to address the contamination or disclose it to consumers.

The suit notes that PFAS have half-lives longer than human life expectancy and do not break down organically, meaning the only way for someone to avoid the accumulation of PFAS in their body is to avoid using or consuming products that contain the chemicals.

The lawsuit says that various regulatory and government bodies have sought to address the recognized risk of consumer exposure to PFAS. The EPA has established legally enforceable levels, known as Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), that outline the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water. The MCL for PFOA is four parts per trillion, while the maximum allowable amount for PFNA is 10 parts per trillion, the case shares.

The filing adds that in 2021, Maine implemented a statutory scheme that required manufacturers to submit reports to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for products that the manufacturers knew contained PFAS. In August 2023, Lagunitas was listed by the Maine DEP as one of the companies that sought an extension for the PFAS reporting deadline, the suit says.

The complaint alleges that it is “implausible” that Lagunitas did not conduct testing of its beers following the April 2025 study that identified a Sonoma County-made beer as containing PFAS, and the company’s requirement to report PFAS to the Maine DEP.

“This testing, like Plaintiff’s testing, would have demonstrated that the Beer contained levels of PFAS that the EPA has found pose a risk to human health,” the complaint asserts.

The Lagunitas class action lawsuit seeks to cover all individuals in the United States who purchased Lagunitas beer, which, unbeknownst to them, contained levels of PFAS that the EPA has found pose a risk to human health.

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