Aside from a good thunderstorm in the midst of a drought, there's nothing better than beer or ice cream to cool off in the South Texas summer. Not so fast. What if you  could have both in one delicious dish?Chef Gary Butler at Freetail Brewing Co. just handed me a cup of the brewpub's beer ice cream. Today's treat is a creamy, sweet concoction made richer and more flavorful with Freetail's own Raspberry Wit, a small batch variation on their year-round standard Rye Wit.At a strong beer dinner in the winter, the hit was an ice cream created with the seasonal Freetail La Muerta Imperial Stout. Now beer ice creams will become a regular part of the menu. Expect mostly recipes of various summer fruits and wit for the summer, but darker beer recipes with chocolate and coffee hints could come in the fall and winter. The batches are small for now because desserts are not the big draw at a beer and pizza place, but this is well worth saving room for.If you want to try this at home, a good place to start is with one of these recipes from beer cook extraordinaire Lucy Saunders at http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/MAIN/desserts/beer-ice-cream.asp Let me know your experiences with beer and ice cream.Prosit!-- Travis E. Poling

What could be better than tasting and learning about seven great beers and beer styles and snacks with a bunch of friends at Blue Star Brewing Co. this Friday? How about doing it for a good cause?
 
Beer Across Texas is presenting "Beer on a Mission" this Friday, July 17 at 7 p.m. in the private room at Blue Star, a fun-filled evening -- with snacks -- and to benefit the 10-country mission trip of a remarkable young woman trying to make a difference for the hungry, poor and oppressed of the world.
 
Marissa Villa, a journalist whom many of you may know from her byline in the San Antonio Express-News' Hispanic publication Conexion, has committed to helping people all over the world as part of The World Race mission group. Beginning in August, she will spend a total of 11 months in the poorest of conditions to help people in Ireland, Romania, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. She will be living on as little as $6 a day even as she helps others with so much less, but travel expenses are still a concern.
 
Marissa herself was a victim of this country's economic downturn when she was one of many talented journalists who lost their job at newspapers around the country earlier this year. The paycheck she was using to bankroll her mission went away, but her desire to serve her fellow humans did not. And now -- and I say this at the risk of sounding all Sally Struthers -- she needs our help. Even if you think you don't like beer, there's no way you can be against helping teenagers out of prostitution in Thailand or battling starvation in Uganda. Come hear from Marissa how this mission, which is the "Amazing Race" meets hardcore humanitarian work, will change lives. You also can read her blog entries leading up to her August departure here.

By coming out and having a good time drinking fine craft beers and learning more about them in a relaxed atmosphere this Friday, you can help Marissa attain her goal. There will be no ticket sales. Instead, we are relying on the caring and generosity of San Antonio to make this benefit a success. A donation of $20 a person is suggested to cover the parts of the event that are not already donated and still leave enough to make a difference for Marissa's mission. Cash and checks will be accepted at the door beginning at 6:30 p.m., but we need a hard count on how many will attend by Friday at noon so please RSVP to Travis@BeerAcrossTexas.com or call mobile number (210) 827-9643.
 
Marissa, a quiet and thoughtful person who is quick with a smile, earned the nickname "Awesome" from me when we sat three-feet apart as colleagues for more than a year. I think you'll see it too. Please pass this on to anybody you think might be interested (don't spam your friends in Arkansas because they're not coming) so that even with such a short notice, we can make this awesome mission a reality.
 
Prosit!