Beers are classified according with their alcohol and extract content, by its malt or in accordance with the type of fermentation. Beers with high fermentation are those where yeast float during the process under a temperature ranging between 20ºC to 25ºC, after fermenting the wort, producing a copper-reddish product with strong flavor, slightly acid and with an alcoholic content ranging between 4% to 8% (the German as an example). Most of the beers are of low fermentation, this is, when exposed to temperatures ranging between 9º C and 14ºC the yeast settles on the tank's floor.
Known as lager, low fermentation beers began to be brewed in large scale only during the last century, with Linde discover, who invented frigorific equipment. The best known lager are Pilsener, Munchener, Vienna, Dortmund, Einbeck, Bock, Export and Munich - most of them a tribute to the city from where the formula came from.

Pilsener
The Pilsener beer was born in Pils, Czechoslovakia, in 1842 and is the best known and more consumed throughout the world. With a delicate flavor, light, clear and with low alcohol content (between 3% and 5%), it is also the preferred by the Brazilian people. In Brazil pilsen consumption - the most adequate for our climate - reaches 98% of the total drank, the remaining is for the type bock, light, malzbier and stout.

Bock
The bock beer is another lager of worldwide acceptance for the reason it has a stronger flavor and body, generally with dark color. It is originated from the city of Einbeck, Germany. With low fermentation and high alcohol content.

Stout
Originally from Ireland the stout is made with toasted barley and has a flavor that associates the hop bitter taste to the malt sweetish taste. It is made with special malts - dark - and primary extract of 15%. Fermentation is generally high. Its color is dark and its alcohol content and extract are also high.

Ice
The ice beer was born in 1993 in Canada. It is made through the "ice process". After the fermentation it is cooled to temperatures below zero when the water transforms into fine ice crystals. On the following stage these crystals are removed and what remains is a more strong and refreshing beer.

Amount
It is forecasted that currently there is more than 20 thousand types of beers throughout the world. Slight changes on the making process, such as different time and temperatures of cooking, fermentation and maturing and the employment of different ingredients in addition to the four basic ones - water, hop, barley and malt - are accountable for a vast variety of types of beer.

Basic Classification
According to the Brazilian legislation, in addition to the traditional names, beer can also be the Export and Lager type (characteristics similar to the Pilsen).

Beers are classified according to 5 items:

1 - Fermentation:
High fermentation
Low fermentation

2 - Primary extract:
Light: > 5% and <10,5%
Ordinary: > 10,5% and < 12%
Extra: >12,0% and <14%
Strong: > 14%

3 - Color:
Light: less than 20 EBC units (European Brewery Convention)
Dark: 20 or more EBC units

4 - Alcohol content:
Without alcohol: less than 0.5% in alcohol volume
Alcoholic: equal or higher than 0.5% in alcohol volume

5 - Extract content (final):
Low: up to 2%
Medium: 2% to 7%
Extra: >12,0% and <14%
High: More than 7%