Beer style Alcoholic beverages made from the fermentation of sugars derived from non-grain sources are generally not called "beer," despite being produced by the same yeast-based biochemical reaction. Fermented honey is called "mead", fermented apple juice is called "cider", fermented pear juice is called "perry" (sometimes, "pear cider"), fermented plum juice is called "plum jerkum", and fermented grape juice is called "wine". Chinese "jiu" and Japanese "sake" are made using much the same process as beer with one additional step in the fermentation as well as using rice instead of primarily barley malt. Most beer styles fall into types roughly according to
Cider the Basque Country). Central Europe also has its own types of cider with Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse producing a particularly tart version known as Apfelwein. In the U.S. and parts of Canada, varieties of fermented cider are often called "hard cider" to distinguish alcoholic cider from non-alcoholic "cider" or "sweet cider", also made from apples. The juice of any variety of apple can be used to make cider, but cider apples are best. The addition of sugar or extra fruit before a second fermentation increases the ethanol content of the resulting beverage. Cider alcohol content varies from 1.2% to 8.5% ABV