A collaboration between WYOld West Brewing and the Mule Deer Foundation has resulted in a hefty check from the first six months cans and kegs of Mule Deer Beer has been available.

For every six-pack sold, the foundation receives $1. It also receives revenue from keg sales and by the pint in establishments. WYOld West started by canning 250 cases and 30 kegs of the German pilsner. Steve Samuelson, the brewery’s master brewer, said he was surprised by the amount already generated by the collaboration.

“We figured we'd give them a payout every six months. We went and did the math on it, it was like, wow, it's more than $4,000,” he said. “It’s a good cause. Everywhere I go with this beer people know the Mule Deer Foundation. So it's a really good cause, and people who are really willing to give to it, so it's a win-win for us.”

During a check presentation at WYOld West on Thursday, the foundation’s Wyoming Regional Director Shawn Blajszczak said the collaboration has been huge for the foundation.

“It shows that all our local people support us and want to get good things done out in the woods, and in the countryside,” he said.

Every time someone is drinking the tasty pilsner, they may not be donating much, but as more and more people find the tasty brew, they're donating to help the outdoor spaces they love.

“It’s huge when people like this just step up and donate, no matter how much it is,” he said. “It’s huge for us.”

Blajszczak said the foundation loves this kind of collaboration because all the hard work is done by the brewery and their distribution system.

“Our lift was almost zero,” he said. “We appreciate the heck out of it.”

The foundation switched from a limited run to a full run. So consumers can get it all summer.

“There's nothing better on a hot day than a cold German pilsner,” he said. “With the temps going up, and people go into the beach and the lake, nobody wants a dark beer.”