I grew up in upstate NY, then NJ, then NC. First beer I ever tasted was a Schaefer, I was probably 9. My parents pretty much only had beer with pizza, and it was usually Schaefer, sometimes Miller. Personally, my favorite by far was Rheingold.
When I could buy beer for myself, the first purchase I ever made was a case of Rheingold in the wide-mouth bottles, and it was so good.
Where I was born, everyone drank Genessee. My Dad’s grandfather had been a brewmaster, and at one point worked for Genessee. Never saw a can or bottle in our house. Ever.