Recipe Question

When you have found a commercial beer that you want try and brew a similar beer, what do you do to figure out the recipe? Is it just something that comes with experience of tasting and deciphering ingredients or is there a way for a new guy to duplicate a beer? My wife and I were in Charleston SC last weekend for a wedding and after the bartender at two restaurants told me the only beer other than crap was some " nasty beer " (said with southern draw). My immediate answer was "give it to me!". It was one of the best beers I have had. Palmetto Pale Ale and its only available in the Charleston area and I'm already priming the wife for a "family trip" down there so I can buy a couple growlers of the stuff. The aroma is probably the best part. Smells like when you stick your nose in the bag of hops before tossing them in. The taste is not extremely bitter but definitely hoppy, but is a floral taste of the hops. Its hard for my limited beer knowledge to explain the taste and the brewers website is very basic. I'm close to emailing them and just asking for the recipe. Here is the brewers site: http://www.palmettobrewingco.com/index.html

Any help is appreciated.
Jason

Their site was useless. Most breweries give you a little something so you can get a general idea. Looks like you have to start with the fact it's a Pale Ale which I'm assuming is an American PA. Most share a similar grain bill and seem to be more defined by they way they're hopped. If anything, I would ask what hops they use. If you can get more out of them, even better. But that little piece would get the ball rolling.

I would definitely try to find out what kind of hops they are using and also try to get an OG and FG. Maybe if you can pick up a bottle they would include some helpful info on it?

i check the breweries website, here for clone recipes, general google check

you may have luck contacting the brewery as well - some are very helpful to homebrewers

Do a Google search here at HBT. Lots of clone recipes. You might find just what you are looking fjor.

Shoot them an email, I'm sure they wont mind sharing both the grain bill and hop schedule. They might even spot you a vial o' yeast if you're lucky.