Making a 5 gallon Starter!

So I have an extra 5.5lb of fresh Pale LME that is laying around waiting go get old.

I can't use it because I have my next 3 brews all planned out and ingredients are purchased and ready.

I asked a friend that is starting a brewpub what I could use them for and he said I should make a BIG starter and divide it up into little starters.

OK - So I'm wrapping my brain around how to make a HUGE starter.

Do I just make a normal 5g batch of beer (about 1.040 SG) without hops, chill it and divide it? OR maybe let it ferment and then wash the yeast?

(not sure I want to use up a carboy for 3 weeks).

suggestions?

why don't you add some hops and make, uh, beer with it? Just a thought

That was my original idea but I have my next 3 batches all ready and 5.5lb of lme makes a pretty weak brew. With a Hefeweizen, a Porter and an Amber ready to go I don't want the LME to sit around for a month doing nothing but growing old.

I would just wait until you need it...what's the rush? You'll need to make yeast starters in the future right?

Also, you might want to ask yourself if going to all the trouble of doing X is worth not having to toss $Y worth of LME (if you ever do have to toss it). I know there have been times I've spent double what I was trying to 'save' in the first place.

Do you have access to a pressure cooker and mason jars? If so, I would can the wort in convenient 1 quart volumes for making starters in the future.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/pressure-canning-wort-109005/

If you do decide to make a 5 gallon starter, you should step it up. I just was researching this. I have to make a 14 gallon starter so I have been looking into it.
Read this and you will be so good!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-starters-must-certain-styles-137170/
Go to post #9 and click the link.

Fourteen Essential Questions About Yeast Starters

I''m souring on the starter solution (somehow those words all have double meanings LOL)

hmmmmmm Just save it? I hate having LME sit around for a month hmmmmm

Why are you making a huge starter?

If it were me, Id get a 500g block of yeast.

Or are you just making a starter because you have LME to use? I am confused

BTW, you can make a lovely Ordinary Bitter to an OG of 1.040 using that LME, bittering to 30 IBUs with an earthy English hop like Fuggle. I know you were opposed (in an earlier thread) to using any steeping grain, but 4-6 ounces of C60 will yield excellent character. Ferment with a characterful English yeast.