I don't know what the different kinds of cider or beer do, because Glass Bottles are impossible to buy, but what if they had useful, long-lasting effects, similar to potions but for like 24 hour (in game) durations?
They are big and bulky in inventory, so you couldn't really carry a lot of them reliably, but if they had a decent duration and maybe even multiple effects combined into one potion, like Stoneskin and Barkskin for example.
It would give use to the currently super useless fruit trees, as different fruit can be made into different kinds of alcohol like brandy or cider.
Lemme know what you think!