You can determine the type of beer you want by using different ingredients. Hops, malt or malt extract as a substitute for malt and brewer's yeast are the most important.
Which ingredients you can use to create the respective beer types can be found in the tables in the buying criteria below. If you want to brew a specific beer that already exists, you should be good friends with the brewmaster, as you will need the recipe with the specific ingredients and exact cooking and storage times.