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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Rev. Ryan Higdon stood above a repurposed dairy tank as steam rose from the hot mixture churning beneath him.

It was humid outside, but even more humid where he and another brewer stood monitoring temperatures and pH levels as they extracted sweet liquid from grains that yeast will eventually turn into beer — the "Ale Mary" beer, to be precise.

Higdon and New Republic Brewery in College Station agreed to partner for this special brew as a way for St. Mary's Catholic Center to thank its donors and raise a little bit of money.

Once the Ale Mary is finished, New Republic will sell it in its taproom and share 50 percent of gross revenue with St. Mary's, where Higdon is associate pastor.

While at first a church and a brewery may appear an unlikely partnership, monks have been brewing and drinking beers for centuries. Sticking with tradition, Higdon and the owners at New Republic thought it'd be a fun idea to recognize this traditional partnership with a traditional beer.

"We're just having fun," Higdon told The Eagle of Bryan-College Station. "The whole point is it's just a fun way to engage people and enjoy life."