Beer Machine extract kits for starter?

I have several Beer Machine mixes left over from before I "really" got into brewing. These mixes are pre-hopped and dry, and make 2.5 gallons (just add water! ) Since they don't even make a full 5 gallons I don't even want to bother with using them (I have around 5 kits and no two match).

Could I use some of this extract to make starters? Or is this stuff something altogether different from DME? If its all the same it'd be a good way to use them (and make my girlfriend feel better about buying them for me as they sit unused). On the other hand, DME for a starter is cheap enough that if it is going to "taint" my beer in any way then its just not worth it.

If you already have them, why not mix two together and beg someone for some dry yeast or re-use some from your current batch. Make a 5-gal batch out of em...heck if it turns out halfway decent then you got free beer!

I don't see why you could not use them for a starter if in fact they are all extract. If there is some corn sugar in there I wouldn't do it but the hops won't hurt anything. I always make starters at a gravity of 1.040 or so and usually pour off the liquid before pitching.

I like exo's idea, but it really depends on what styles they are.

If you pair them properly, you may wind up with something good. Who knows?

Amber/Wheat.
Nut Brown/Pale Ale.

I'd be tempted to try what Exo suggested as well. On the other hand, I think you could use the stuff for starters with no problems at all. I usually make my starters with a gravity around that of what I'm planning on brewing. If you have a kit similar in style to what you want to brew, use it for a starter. If not, you can still use the kits for starters - just let the yeast settle before pitching, and pour most of the starter wort off the top, leaving the yeast to pitch behind.

I don't know too much about Mr. Beer ( I originally bought the Beer Machine 2000), but I don't think that the kits are all extract. You can buy just the "unhopped extract", but the mixes seem to have other ingredients as well.

Lorena

These actually are the beer mix kits for the beer machine.

So looking at the mix it says ingredients are "powerdered dry malted barley extract, hop extract and brewers yeast" (the yeast is in a packet inside the bag). It seems like I might be ok to use it for a starter, but honestly it doesn't seem worth it and I don't know how much to trust the ingredient list. I don't want to run the risk of messing with a perfectly good batch of beer.

I have decided to go ahead and try to mix them and see what comes out. Any suggestions?

I have a Pale ale, golden ale, english porter and one with a Russian (?) language label (yeah...no idea what that is about but we'll call it the mystery bag).

Any ideas?

I would mix the pale ale and golden ale, then mix the porter and russian one.