California Common - a couple newb questions

[Nimzomitch]

Hey I have a question or two in regards to Cal Commons that I haven't really been able to find answers for. This my first time brewing this style, and it's for a local competition of sorts. Let me preface this by saying I'm not terribly fond of regular Anchor Steam, I'm not a style-purist, and the only rule of the comp is that I use a lager yeast. I chose Cal Common since I'm not set up for lagering. I'm a newbie AG brewer with less than 10 batches under my belt.

I'm planning on fermenting around 55-60 degrees, although I don't have a real good way to control the temps. My basement is about 58-60, and I was planning on letting the fermenter sit in a sink that I can run cold water and put ice into to help it stay cool. At least for the main part of the fermentation. After which I may let it come up to ambient temperature. Maybe after a week or so.

I'm going to be using the White Labs version of the yeast. Is this a yeast that I can pretty much just ferment the beer for two weeks or so and then bottle? Or would it need further conditioning?

FYI, my current plan is something like this:
75% Pilsner
10% some pale-ish looking Munich
5% CaraMunich
5% Honey Malt
5% Aromatic
and I'm going to shoot for about 1065. I know it's higher than the style guidelines, but my idea is to make more of an American IPA style wort. Since the Cal Common yeast doesn't attenuate as highly as some others, I'm planning on going a little heavy gravity wise and also mashing around 150 deg so it's a bit more fermentable. So I'm thinking I should have a bit of residual sweetness.

As far as hops goes, I haven't really ironed that out yet, but I'm figuring on it being pretty assertively hopped. Probably around 100-110 IBUs. Right now I'm thinking Nugget for bittering(60), and then Amarillo(15), and Cascade(flameout). I know Anchor Steam uses NB hops for their Steam Beerâ„¢...

What else do I need to know for this lager yeast? Extra-large starter or anything? Is there anything else I can do to really make sure the yeast attenuates as much as it can (60-70% is stated on B3), like oxygenate a couple times during the growth period, adding Fermaid K, or...

Anyway I'd really welcome your thoughts or opinions here.

[DannyW]

Well, if it's for a contest and you are entering as a Cal Common, you will pretty much have to go with NB for much of your hops. All that Amarillo and Cascade is going to give you citrus rather than the minty/woody that the judges will be seeking.

I'm also not terrifically fond of Anchor Steam - I find the hops faded and the malt too carmelly sweet for my liking - but it has to travel a long way from San Francisco to get to me. Fresher is probably better. Homebrewed Cal Common is one of my favorites.

I've used WLP810 Cal Lager yeast for serveral different styles and haven't noticed that it takes any special hand-holding. I usually run it around 62F but that's only because I usually have a 2nd bucket (wrapped in a blanket) with Cal Ale or US56 in the chest freezer with it and need a temp that will work for both.

[Nimzomitch]

Well the contest is kinda weird:

Basically a local brewery lets people sign up to enter. They give you all the ingredients of your choice except the yeast. They gladly give enought to make 10-12 gallons, but you are only committed to giving them 5. There are up to 21 entries. A week before the actual tasting event, everyone brings in their beer, and 3 internal judges pick what they think are the 10 best. They don't care about style so much. A week later, those 10 best beers are served up in a public tasting event to 100 or maybe more people who have bought tickets, they get free food and taste all the beers, then rank the beers from 1-10. The "People's Choice" beer gets brewed on the brewery's system. These people aren't concerned about style either.

So overall, I'm not concerned about keeping it to style, as long as I like it. If my beer is rejected by the internal judges, I get to keep it for myself. If the 3 internal judges think it's good enough to go in the competition, I get to serve it up and have some fun at the event. So it's a win/win as far as I'm concerned.