At first glance, it looks like something out of an old Western postcard gone slightly off the rails.
It’s a miniature donkey weaving through a Wyoming wedding crowd with baskets of ice-cold beer strapped to its sides while guests in boots and cocktail dresses scramble to take photos with it.
Beer burros like Miguel, a rescued miniature donkey, are becoming increasingly popular around the Cowboy State.
“It’s one of those things where people don’t expect it,” said Alexis von Gontard, who runs a beer burro business near Sheridan. “Then they see the donkey walk up with drinks on its back, and it breaks the ice instantly.”
It’s about the most Wyoming wedding or special even accessory, with Miguel often posing in as many selfies as the guests.
That’s even if those who drink too much of what Miguel’s serving up try to ride him or get the tiny donkey to drink a toast with them.
The mechanics are surprisingly simple, and much more than a novelty, von Gontard said.
The donkeys wear custom saddle packs loaded with canned beer and seltzers packed on ice.
During cocktail hour, they wander through the crowd while guests free up the crowds at the bar by helping themselves to directly from the baskets.
“It’s not just about grabbing a drink,” von Gontard said. “It’s about the moment.”
Jasmine Scholes, owner of Jackson-based Black Tie Burro, said beer donkeys donkeys instantly change the energy of an event.
“It’s a great conversation starter,” she said. “Honestly, I think we spend more time taking pictures with the donkeys than actually handing out drinks.”
That tends to happen when a formally-dressed donkey decked out in flowers suddenly walks up loaded down with ice-cold Coors Light.
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Taylor J Films via YouTube) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo)
Hops On Hooves
Scholes accidentally got into the business after buying a miniature donkey named Zeus as a companion animal following the death of one of her horses.
About three years ago, she started bringing him to events.
He carried palms for Easter and made an appearance at a Cinco de Mayo party at the bank she manages, where he wore a tiny sombrero while customers were served chips and salsa by Zeus.
Then somebody asked whether the donkey could show up at a wedding.
That’s when the demand for beer donkeys snowballed.
“Oh my gosh,” Scholes said, adding she remembers thinking that, “This could be a thing here.”
Now Black Tie Burro handles weddings, airport events, parties and promposals with a growing herd of miniature donkeys that includes Zeus, Zadie Sugar Britches, Hickory, Otis McStuffins and MissChief McBray.
Meanwhile, von Gontard’s operation revolves around Miguel — a rescue donkey who went from an unwanted breeding animal to Wyoming’s most in-demand bartender.
“He was so thin, he hated people,” von Gontard said. “He didn’t want to be touched.”
Now he spends weekends carrying drinks through crowded weddings while guests line up to take selfies with him.
Everybody Loves A Beer Donkey
The response from event guests is almost entirely positive, Scholes said.
“They’re just big puppy dogs,” she said.
They wear custom pack saddles fitted with baskets full of cans on ice, then just wander around greeting guests while people lose their minds.
“Everybody loves donkeys,” Scholes said. “The kids do. The adults do. Of course, some people try to ride them. But they're mini."
And yes, drunk wedding guests absolutely make donkey jokes all night.
“There’s all kinds of puns,” Scholes said, adding she's considered having a "Kiss my A**" booth for the right clients.
“It adds a little bit of magic. Something people will talk about long after the event is over,” said von Gontard.
In Wyoming that blend of tradition, novelty and connection seems to fit right in.
“It’s fun, it’s memorable, and it brings people together. That’s really what it’s all about,” she said.
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) 
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo) A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel is becoming one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders, and he only costs $400. Bartending burros are perfect for Wyoming, where people appreciate livestock and beer. (Courtesy Photo)
The Logistics
As whimsical as it may appear, operating a beer donkey business involves a bizarre amount of planning.
Scholes arrives at events hours early to coordinate refill stations, layouts and drink logistics with wedding planners.
The donkeys wear discreet collection bags covering their rears during events because wedding venues generally prefer the animals not leave surprises on the dance floor.
Even so, accidents still happen.
“He did do that in the barn,” said Elizabeth Taliento, general manager of a Big Horn event venue that hired Miguel for a Christmas event. “We had a snow shovel, and we shoveled that up, and then just a little mop real quick, and it was taken care of in two seconds.”
Taliento said Miguel became an instant hit despite leaving an unwanted present.
“He was fantastic and great with the kids,” she said. “It was just magical.”
Scholes says she uses "booty bags," which are discreetly worked into their costumes and don't leave a mess at all.
There are also practical concerns most people probably never consider — like the fact that miniature donkeys are technically desert animals, said Scholes.
“They absorb, like, 95% of the nutrients they eat,” she explained. “It doesn’t take much for the weight to come on them.”
That means the beer donkeys can get beer bellies from people sneaking them beer or other snacks.
The Beer Burro Boom
Beer burros have been a growing national trend for years, especially in Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Wyoming was inevitable.
The state already has outdoor weddings, ranch venues, open bars, and a population that appreciates both livestock and cold beer.
Combining the two was only a matter of time, von Gontard and Scholes said.
A tiny donkey walking toward you carrying a cold beer is objectively funny and fun.
That’s the business model.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
