Anyone try a doppelbock using California lager yeast?

Hi everyone--

October is the best month for me to brew really clean beers, basically because of temperature. I don't yet have real temperature control, but by putting a carboy next to the open window in my NYC apartment and using ice and a water bath, I can fairly easily maintain temperatures from 70F down to the high 50s. That is, until my building heat kicks in, which ramps things way back up.

So right now I'm fermenting an Irish Red using the California common/Anchor Steam/California/San Francisco lager strain (in my case, Wyeast 2112). I had read that it's possible to make Irish Red using a lager yeast, and this is my first shot at using a lager yeast of any kind. I know it's cheating a bit, but whatever. I'm maintaining it fairly steadily at 59F-63F, with some fluctuation while I'm at work during the hottest part of the day.

My question is this: Has anyone tried using the California lager strain to make "real" lagers? I'm most interested in making a doppelbock--that is one of my favorite styles of beer, but I haven't been able to do it yet because of the limits of my temperature control. I'm hoping that I could do a doppelbock using the yeast cake I get from this medium-strength Irish (1.050).

So, has anyone tried it? Or at least tried other "real" lagers that aren't steam beer--e.g., Oktoberfest--using the California lager strain?

Thanks!

I did my first lager recently with the white labs san fran lager yeast. I did a vienna lager, pitched around 54 F, and let it finish around 65 F. It scored a 43 in a local competition, so in my experience, yes, you can do a real lager with that yeast, and I plan on doing more. It's a lager yeast; I don't consider it cheating if it's easier to use than some others. The WL version did produce a ton of diacetyl initially in the bottle, but that cleared up after 12-14 days.

I think it's a really cool idea, and though I've never done it, I think you should go for it. Given a good brew day and fermentation, the worst thing that could happen is that your Doppelbock won't taste "lagery" enough. I bet if you used all German malts/hops, you could make it pass as a Doppelbock.

Thanks for the encouragement, and glad to hear this doesn't sound too crazy. I think I should be able to maintain 60F with the California yeast, and I will certainly have some time to let it cold condition in my fridge (once it's carbonated in the bottles--I don't keg yet). If I do go through with it--and I think I will once this Irish red is done--I'll be sure to report back.