Yes, pear cider usually has alcohol: like perry, it is a fermented drink. BJCP's perry styles run from about 4% to 9% ABV, and ice perry is stronger at about 9–12%. Always check the label for the ABV. In the US, any cider of 0.5% ABV or more must carry the government health warning.

How is perry made?

Perry is made by milling and pressing perry pears, fermenting the juice with cultured or wild yeast, racking it off the lees, maturing it and clearing it. The Herefordshire Perry PGI describes fermentation in vats for up to about 3 months and maturation for up to 6 months. Some perry is sparkling.

What is the best pear cider?

There is no single best pear cider: the best one is the style you enjoy. BJCP describes Common Perry, from table pears, as mildly fruity and usually semi-dry to semi-sweet, Heirloom Perry, from perry pears, as more tannic, and Ice Perry as sweet at 9–12% ABV. Then compare sweetness, strength and origin on the label.

What is the difference between perry and pear cider?

Perry traditionally means a drink fermented from pear juice, often from perry pears grown for the purpose. "Pear cider" is a label name used in different ways. In the UK both names share one legal definition. In the US, a wine of 7% ABV or more made only from pears must be called perry or pear wine, not pear cider.

Where can I buy pear cider?

Pear cider, traditionally called perry, is easiest to find from makers in pear-growing regions, especially Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Wales in the UK, and Domfront in Normandy. Buy from the maker's farm shop or website, or from specialist cider shops. In the UK, "pear cider" on a label doesn't tell you the pear juice content.

Where is perry made?

Perry, the traditional pear cider, has its historic home in England's Three Counties (Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire), where perry pears have been grown for over 400 years, according to the Herefordshire Perry PGI. Wales, Normandy's Domfrontais and pear-growing parts of Austria, Switzerland and Germany also have perry traditions, and craft perry is made in North America.

Perry and pear cider