Epic Cleantec has launched the world’s first commercial beer made from shower water, transforming building wastewater into brewing-quality water.

San Francisco-based Epic Cleantec has released the world’s first commercial beer made from recycled building water. Shower Hour IPA and Laundry Club Kölsch are now available in stores across California and online in 12 states, bringing a controversial concept from pilot project to national distribution.

The beer made from shower water uses liquid recovered from showers and laundry in buildings where Epic operates water treatment systems. The company cleans this wastewater using advanced purification technology to make it safe for brewing. Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company in San Carlos, California, partnered with Epic to create the two beer styles.

The purification process transforms building wastewater into ultra-clean brewing water through multiple stages. The system uses membrane bioreactors that filter out organic matter and contaminants at the microscopic level. Additional filtration through reverse osmosis removes dissolved solids and any remaining impurities. Ultraviolet disinfection and advanced oxidation complete the treatment, destroying any potential pathogens. The resulting water meets or exceeds potable water quality standards.

Buildings worldwide consume 15 percent of all drinking water, yet almost none of them reuse it. Epic’s system captures this discarded water and treats it with the same type of technology NASA has used for decades to recycle water for astronauts in space.

Aaron Tartakovsky, co-founder and CEO of Epic Cleantec, says the beer offers consumers an accessible way to understand the potential of water recycling. The company aims to demonstrate that advanced water reuse technology can produce water pure enough for even the most quality-sensitive applications.

The Shower Hour IPA goes beyond recycled water by incorporating ingredients selected for environmental benefits. The beer contains Azacca hops, which use a semi-dwarf genetic structure that requires less irrigation and resists disease better than standard varieties.

Fonio grain, naturally drought-tolerant and fast-growing, forms part of the recipe. This ancient African cereal needs no fertilizers and actually enriches soil while growing. The brewing process uses Kveik yeast, which ferments at higher temperatures and faster speeds than conventional brewing yeasts, reducing the energy needed during production.

Chris Garrett, founder and CEO of Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company, describes the partnership as combining innovation with traditional brewing craftsmanship. The company selected ingredients to match consumers’ increasing demand for sustainably produced beverages.

Epic first tested the beer made from shower water concept in November 2022 with OneWater Brew, an experimental run of 7,500 cans. That limited release earned recognition as a TIME Best Invention and Fast Company World Changing Idea. The beer went viral on social media and attracted attention from business leaders, journalists, and United Nations officials.

The positive response to the experimental batch convinced Epic to pursue commercial production. The new release expands the concept from a one-time pilot to ongoing commercial availability.

Consumers can find the beers at major California retailers, including BevMo, Total Wine & More, and Bianchini’s Market. Select Bay Area stores also carry the products. Beyond California, distribution reaches Virginia, Oregon, Ohio, Kentucky, Vermont, New Hampshire, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Alaska, and Washington, D.C.

Online ordering through Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company’s website is available to customers in all eligible states. The brewery’s taproom in San Carlos began serving the beers on November 21.

Epic Cleantec operates offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, Las Vegas, and Scottsdale. The company installs onsite water treatment systems in individual buildings and communities, converting wastewater into treated water for non-potable uses. The systems also recover organic material for soil amendments and capture heat energy.

The company’s technology emerged from initial work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. Epic now works with major real estate developers across North America to install water reuse systems in new and existing buildings.

Media coverage of Epic’s work has appeared in The New York Times, CNBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, Fast Company, and TechCrunch. Inc. magazine named Epic one of America’s Best Workplaces in both 2024 and 2025. TIME magazine featured Epic innovations in its Best Inventions lists for 2022 and 2023. Fast Company recognized the company in its 2023 Most Innovative Companies Awards.

The beer launch represents Epic’s strategy to change public perception of recycled water through tangible products. Water scarcity affects communities worldwide, and infrastructure to capture and treat billions of gallons of building wastewater already exists but remains largely unused.

Tartakovsky believes that if a single beer made from shower water can shift how people think about water reuse, deploying the technology at scale could transform urban water systems. The company positions its products as proof that recycled water can meet the highest quality standards.