What’s Really In America’s Favorite Beers?

Chemicals, PFAS, Pesticide Residues—What Studies Say (and Don’t), How Beer Changed Over Time, and How to Drink Smarter

• Independent testing has detected glyphosate (a weed-killer) in many mainstream beers, and PFAS (“forever chemicals”) have been measured in retail beer with levels that tend to track the local water supply used by breweries. PIRG+2PMC+2
• Most detected levels are tiny (parts-per-billion) and studies do not routinely identify specific U.S. brand “villains” vs “saints.” A few products in one 2019 test showed no detectable glyphosate. PIRG
• If you want the lowest potential exposure, prioritize: (a) certified-organic beers, (b) breweries that publish water treatment practices (e.g., reverse osmosis + carbon filtration), and (c) lighter-ABV lagers over high-adjunct flavored beers and sugar-heavy seltzers. (Rationale below with sources.)
• Today’s top sellers are largely owned by three companies in the U.S.: AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch), Molson Coors, and Constellation Brands (for U.S. Corona/Modelo rights). Heineken, Diageo (Guinness), Boston Beer (Sam Adams) and Yuengling round out the list. Anheuser-Busch+2Molson Coors+2

---

What the best studies actually found

Glyphosate (herbicide)

• A U.S. PIRG Education Fund project (2019; page updated 2025) tested 15 beers and 5 wines; 19 of 20 had detectable glyphosate, with ppb-level concentrations. One beer (Peak) had none detected. The report explicitly lists mainstream brands among positives. This doesn’t prove hazard at drinking levels, but it does confirm detectable residues are common. PIRG

PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

• A 2025 peer-reviewed analysis adapted EPA Method 533 for retail beer and found PFAS in ~95% of samples; levels correlated with the municipal water of the brewery’s location—i.e., cleaner source water → lower PFAS in beer. This is a crucial point: water treatment matters as much as brand. PMC+1

Important context: Regulators set health-based limits for PFAS in drinking water, not beer. Beer is not a major PFAS exposure compared to water and food packaging, but if you’re minimizing cumulative exposure, beer choice + brewery water practices are reasonable levers. PMC

Why brand-by-brand “safest/dirtiest” lists are tricky

Most datasets test small sample sets and change by batch, crop, and local water. Independent, ongoing brand-level surveillance isn’t published publicly at scale in the U.S. As a result, absolute rankings (“Brand X is the worst”) would be misleading. Where there is a test showing “no detectable glyphosate” (Peak, in that 2019 panel), I call it out—but that’s not a permanent guarantee. PIRG

---

So…what’s the safest beer to drink?

“Safest” depends on what you’re minimizing (glyphosate? PFAS? additives?). Based on today’s evidence:

1. Certified-Organic beers
   Organic standards forbid glyphosate use, and organic producers often treat water aggressively. Caveat: cross-contamination can still occur (trace detections have been reported), but rates and levels tend to be lower. PIRG
2. Breweries that explain their water treatment (reverse osmosis + carbon)
   Because PFAS in beer tracks local water, breweries that filter and polish their brewing water can reduce PFAS risk. Many craft brewers publish this in FAQs or brewery tours; the 2025 study underscores why water matters. PMC
3. Simple, low-ABV lagers from producers with transparent sourcing
   Fewer flavorings/sugars and a shorter ingredient list can reduce potential auxiliary inputs. (This is a prudence rule, not a hard guarantee.)

A data-anchored “safe bet” framing (not an endorsement):

• Certified-organic lagers from reputable producers;
• Peak Organic (the one beer with “none detected” glyphosate in PIRG’s 2019 panel);
• Craft lagers from breweries that publicly state they use RO + carbon filtration for all brewing water. PIRG+1

---

Which beers are most likely to contain herbicides, pesticides, PFAS?

• Grain-sourced residues (glyphosate, etc.): any beer made with conventionally grown grains can carry trace glyphosate. That’s most mainstream lagers, unless labeled organic. PIRG
• PFAS: depends heavily on the brewery’s local water and treatment. National brands produced at multiple facilities may have different PFAS profiles by region. PMC

Bias note: You asked to acknowledge this—and you’re right. Food-chemical science can be industry-funded, and historic literature shows results sometimes favor sponsors. That’s why I prioritize independent, method-transparent work (e.g., EPA-method studies, consumer testing with third-party labs) and present results with uncertainty. PMC

---

How beer changed through history (and how to brew it at each stage)

1. Ancient Sumer (c. 1800–3000 BCE) — pre-hop, bread-based beer
   What it was: Cloudy, low-ABV, often sipped through straws; flavored with dates/spices.
   Mini-recipe: Malted grains + a baked “beer bread” loaf (barley/wheat), crumbled into water with date syrup; ferment with wild/house yeast; no hops. Bon Appétit+1
2. Medieval Europe — gruit ales → early hopped beer
   Shift: Herbs (gruit) gave way to hops for bitterness/preservation (11th–15th c.).
3. 1516 Bavaria — Reinheitsgebot (barley, hops, water → later yeast)
   What changed: Ingredient restrictions; lager yeast and cold fermentation later defined German styles.
   Mini-recipe: Single-malt barley mash, hopped boil, cool ferment with lager yeast, long cold lagering. Wikipedia+2Wine Enthusiast+2
4. 19th-century America — adjunct lagers (corn & rice)
   Why: U.S. six-row barley was protein-rich; corn/rice improved clarity and drinkability.
   Mini-recipe: 60–70% barley malt + 30–40% corn/rice adjunct (cereal-mash cooked), hopped lightly, clean lager yeast. Brewed Culture+2Brew Your Own+2
5. Modern craft era — ingredients explode
   Now: Everything from double-dry-hopped IPAs to pastry stouts, kettle sours, ancient-recipe revivals. The New Yorker

---

The U.S. “Top 20” beer brands & who owns what (2024–2025 snapshot)

Exact rankings swing month-to-month and by metric (volume vs. dollar sales). The brands below consistently appear among the biggest sellers in U.S. retail panels; I group them by current U.S. owner for clarity.

AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch, USA portfolio) – Bud Light, Budweiser, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Busch Light, Natural Light, Stella Artois (imported), Budweiser Select (varies). (Parent: AB InBev; U.S. operating company: Anheuser-Busch.) Anheuser-Busch+1

Molson Coors – Coors Light, Coors Banquet, Miller Lite, Miller High Life, Keystone Light, Blue Moon Belgian White. (Molson Coors gained global Miller brands in the U.S. after the 2016 AB InBev–SABMiller transaction.) Molson Coors+2Wikipedia+2

Constellation Brands (U.S. rights) – Modelo Especial, Corona Extra, Pacifico, Victoria (imports; perpetual U.S. brand license). Courts affirmed the scope of Constellation’s “beer” license for related line extensions in 2024 litigation. Constellation Brands Corporate Website+1

Heineken USA – Heineken, Dos Equis (import/brand owner globally is Heineken). (General corporate ownership; specific brand pages omitted for brevity.)

Diageo (Guinness) – Guinness Draught/Stout (brewed/imported for U.S. by Diageo/Guinness). (General corporate ownership.)

Boston Beer Company – Samuel Adams Boston Lager (independent public company).

D.G. Yuengling & Son – Yuengling Traditional Lager (largest U.S. regional/family-owned brewer).

Ranking notes: In 2023–2024, Modelo Especial overtook Bud Light in dollar sales; in 2025, multiple outlets reported Michelob Ultra taking the top dollar-sales slot, illustrating how tight the leaderboard has become. Forbes+2The Telegraph+2

About “original names” and first-sold dates:

• Budweiser (1876); Bud Light (1982); Miller Lite launched nationally in 1975 (originally marketed as “Lite”); Coors Light expanded nationally by the early 1980s; Natural Light (1977); Michelob Ultra (2002); Pabst Blue Ribbon traces to Best Select (name change after 1890s awards); Stella Artois brand roots to 1366 (modern “Stella Artois” launched 1926); Guinness brewery established 1759; Samuel Adams Boston Lager (1984); Blue Moon (1995); Yuengling brewery 1829 (“Traditional Lager” is a late-20th-century flagship).
  (Launch-year details come from brand histories and Wikipedia/company pages; exact “original name” data are not consistently published across all 20 and can vary by market. If you want, I can build a formal table with per-brand citations for your site.)

---

Practical ways to drink smarter

• Prefer organic options when available (lowers glyphosate probability). PIRG
• Favor breweries that publish water treatment (RO + carbon) or that brew in cities with strong PFAS-compliant municipal systems. PMC
• Choose clean lagers or simple styles over dessert-like beers with flavorings.
• If you love a mainstream brand, look for facility-level disclosures or independent tests; large brands brew in multiple locations, so local water quality matters. PMC

---

Quick, era-by-era homebrew “recipes”

(Educational only—fermentation involves risk; sanitize everything.)

1. Sumerian-style, no-hop: bake a barley “beer bread,” crumble into water with date syrup; add yeast (or sourdough starter); ferment cool; drink young and cloudy. Bon Appétit+1
2. 1516 Bavarian lager: 100% barley malt; gentle German hops; cool ferment with lager yeast; 4–8 weeks lagering. Wikipedia
3. Pre-Prohibition American lager: ~60–70% barley malt + 30–40% corn/rice (pre-boiled cereal mash); light hopping; clean lager yeast. Craft Beer & Brewing+1
4. Modern American light lager: Similar to #3 but lower OG/ABV; strict filtration and carbonation; package cold.

---

Sources & further reading

• PFAS in beer (EPA Method 533): Redmon et al., 2025; and ACS press summary. PMC+1
• Glyphosate in beers (consumer testing): U.S. PIRG Education Fund report (2019; page updated 2025). PIRG
• Reinheitsgebot (1516) and history: Wikipedia/Britannica-style overviews and academic/public history explainers. Wikipedia+1
• American adjunct lagers—why corn/rice: Brewing history sources. Brewed Culture+1
• U.S. ownership snapshots: AB InBev/Anheuser-Busch brands; Molson Coors; Constellation Brands (U.S. license for Corona/Modelo); 2024 appeals decision on seltzers under the beer license; 2024–2025 sales headlines. The Telegraph+5Anheuser-Busch+5Molson Coors+5

---

Disclaimer

This article is informational and educational. It does not provide medical or legal advice. Chemical detections cited are from third-party studies with specific sample sets, locations, and dates; levels can vary by batch and brewery. Always consult labels, producer disclosures, and your healthcare professional for personal health decisions.

---

About the Author

A.L. Childers (Audrey Childers) is a multi-genre author of 200+ titles blending women’s health advocacy, humor, and deep-dive research. Her mission is to help women navigating hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, perimenopause/menopause, and everything in between make informed choices—without fear-mongering. Explore her books and health-first writing across food, hidden histories, and everyday empowerment.

Find her books on Amazon under A.L. Childers
Visit her blog: TheHypothyroidismChick.com

 Books by A.L. Childers

• Hashimoto’s Crock-Pot Recipes
• Reset Your Thyroid: 21-Day Meal Plan
• The Hidden Empire
• The Forbidden Gospel of John: From Sinai to Nicaea and the Prison of Flesh
• Archons: Unveiling the Parasitic Entities Shaping Human Thoughts
• The Girl in the Mirror Is Thirteen Again
• A Woman’s Holistic Holy Grail Handbook for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s
• The Witch’s Almanac Cookbook (2026 Edition)
• And more available on Amazon

Disclaimer: This blog is based on publicly available information, commentary, and personal perspective. It is not financial advice.

---

A Slice of History: Cracker Barrel’s Southern Roots

Founded in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store built its reputation as the ultimate Southern comfort food destination. From rocking chairs on the porch to biscuits dripping with gravy, it became more than a restaurant—it became a memory. Families on road trips, church groups after Sunday service, grandparents treating the grandkids—Cracker Barrel wasn’t just food, it was a cultural pit stop.

So when the Cracker Barrel logo change dropped in August 2025, it wasn’t just a design tweak. It was a gut punch for millions who saw the brand as a warm hug of fried chicken and hashbrown casserole.

---

Julie Felss Masino: The CEO Behind the “Woke Rebrand”

Who is Julie Felss Masino?

• Northern roots, degree in Communications from Miami University (Ohio).
• Leadership résumé includes Taco Bell, Starbucks, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Mattel, and now Cracker Barrel CEO (since Nov 2023).
• She’s been praised for growth strategies (like Taco Bell’s global expansion) but also criticized for bringing too much “corporate polish” to brands known for personality and grit.

She insists, “The things you love are still there,” while rolling out the “All the More” campaign—a $700 million overhaul with a new minimalist Cracker Barrel logo and refreshed interiors.

But Wall Street wasn’t buying it. Cracker Barrel stock plunged over 12% intraday, wiping out nearly $100 million in market value. That’s the corporate equivalent of your mama burning the biscuits.

SEO Keywords: Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino, Cracker Barrel stock drop, Cracker Barrel logo backlash, woke corporate rebrand.

---

Why I Don’t Care About the Rebrand

Here’s the truth: I don’t care what they name it, rebrand it, or paint on the sign outside.

Why? Because their corporate world has nothing to do with our world.

• Their World: glossy presentations, stock tickers, brand consultants who charge $50,000 to pick out a “modern font.” They care about Wall Street.
• Our World: feeding families after church, grabbing comfort food on a road trip, ordering biscuits and gravy because that’s what your granddaddy did. We care about taste, price, and whether the cornbread comes hot.

Cracker Barrel can call itself Cracker Universe for all I care—if the food doesn’t taste like home, nobody in the consumer world is showing up.

---

A Track Record of Changes: Alleged Outcomes

Let’s stir the pot and imagine what could happen here, based on Masino’s past gigs:

• Taco Bell: She expanded internationally—great for global growth, but that doesn’t mean Southern folks in Tennessee care about tacos in Tokyo.
• Starbucks: Helped with growth phases, especially in Asia—again, great for stockholders, not exactly comforting for consumers craving chicken ‘n’ dumplings.
• Sprinkles Cupcakes: Trendy and Instagrammable, but not soul food.
• Mattel’s Fisher-Price: Toys, not turnip greens.

Alleged Forecast for Cracker Barrel: More sleek branding, more “modern” appeal, maybe a boost in younger diners—but unless the food tastes better, traditional customers may leave the biscuits behind.

---

What Southern Folks Actually Want

• Food that tastes right: Hashbrown casserole that’s creamy, not dry. Fried chicken that crackles.
• Nostalgia: The old logo, the knick-knacks, the porch rocking chairs.
• Consistency: We want Cracker Barrel to feel like home, not like a chain chasing social media trends.

Humor moment: If I wanted bland food with pretty lighting, I’d eat at IKEA.

---

The Corporate vs Consumer Reality

This is where the Cracker Barrel rebrand controversy reveals the biggest divide:

• In the corporate boardroom, they’re worried about “brand identity, investor confidence, quarterly growth.”
• In the real world, we’re worried about:
  • Is the bacon crispy?
  • Is the coffee hot?
  • Did I just spend $14.99 for eggs that look like they were cooked in a hotel microwave?

Corporate execs live in a rich world of numbers. We live in a consumer world of taste and value. That’s why rebrands like this flop—they’re speaking different languages.

---

The Recipe for Redemption

1. Taste First, Talk Later: Fix the food before fixing the logo.
2. Respect Tradition: Keep the rocking chairs, keep Uncle Herschel, keep the Southern soul.
3. Don’t Forget Who You Serve: Your customers aren’t hedge funds—they’re families, road-trippers, and Sunday diners.

---

Final Word: Stock vs. Spoon

Cracker Barrel’s new logo controversy is more than branding—it’s about what happens when corporate ambition collides with consumer expectation.

The logo may have changed, but the question remains: Will the food get better, or will the biscuits crumble?

Because at the end of the day, Wall Street can debate stock charts—but Main Street just wants gravy that sticks to the fork.

---

About the Author

A Southern-born diner who’s eaten more hashbrown casserole than salads, I write about where corporate America meets consumer reality. My fork is my pen, and my humor is my butter knife.