Cardiff Giant

The 1869 hoax of the Cardiff Giant, a ten-foot-tall “petrified man” discovered upstate, serves as the namesake of this Brooklyn bar singularly celebrating beer, wine, spirits, and cider produced in New York State. But for such a tight focus, the bar sure doesn’t feel pretentious. It’s also one of the best places in the city for ciders: You’ll discover a wide range of native examples from such estimable producers as the Finger Lakes’ Blackduck Cidery and Kite & String served on draft and by the glass. The bottle list is equally commendable, featuring the “foraged” ciders of Aaron Burr and homegrown offerings like the tropical and piney dry-hopped cider from Queens-based Descendant. Don’t skip so-called “happy meals” such as the Stone Fence, a new-breed boilermaker combining a can of Rootstock cider with a shot of Black Dirt’s applejack.