What is the name of the chemical process by which beverage alcohol is produced naturally?

The process by which beverage alcohol is produced naturally is known as fermentation. During fermentation, yeasts consume sugars and convert them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process typically occurs in the absence of oxygen and can happen naturally with fruit juices or can be cultivated in an environment where controlled fermentation takes place.

Fermentation is integral to the production of various alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits, serving as the foundational method for transforming raw materials into alcohol. The sugars present in grains, fruits, or other substrates are the essential components that yeasts metabolize to produce ethanol, the alcohol found in beverages.

In contrast, distillation is a method used to purify or concentrate liquids, including alcohol, but it is not the initial process that creates alcoholic content. Oxidation refers to a chemical reaction that involves the loss of electrons, prominent in various biochemical processes, but not specifically in the creation of alcohol. Condensation, while related to the change of state from gas to liquid, does not pertain to the biological transformation of sugars into alcohol. Thus, fermentation is the key natural process responsible for the production of beverage alcohol.