karaokemeister wrote:
Just so everyone knows what he's talking about, in some states they have a liquor license that limit the alcohol content of the spirits to 14% - the 'max' naturally produced without 'jacking' or distillation. In some counties/borroughs they don't allow distilled liquor to be served at all but do allow 'bars' to serve beer/wine (example: Santa Rosa County, Florida). I'm assuming it's these sorts of places that you're referring to and/or those that have a limited liquor license.
In the handful of 'beer bars' I've been into the crowd was more interested in drinking beer than anything else. For example - think of 'Moe's' on the Simpsons - it's all about beer and talk with an occasional game of pool or darts. Doesn't mean that it wouldn't go over - just that the handful I've been into didn't appear to be good karaoke venues. If it works there for you - go for it!
Also to follow up, California sells certain liquor licenses to establishments. You can get just a basic "beer & wine" license, which is rather cheap for the yearly fee (but you can only sell beer & wine, duh)
or you can purchase what they call a "general" license which allows the bar to sell basically any alcohol.
I used to work for our state licensing of these establishments some years ago, I'm not in the bar business though.