His revival of Anchor Steam beer inspired many other brewers to follow, and he is often considered the father of modern microbreweries.
Maytag won the 2008 James Beard Foundation's Lifetime Achievement award for his work at Anchor Brewing.
The clothes washer is credited as one of several time-, labor-, and money-saving improvements to home life.
In the 1920s, clothes washing was generally done by hand; the Maytag company was on the vanguard of automating this task.
[citation needed] With a commitment to quality and the use of more expensive raw materials being keys to the family's success in their Iowa washing machine business,[citation needed] Fritz Maytag was unafraid of Anchor Steam's low volume but higher-end market positioning.
Not wanting to sacrifice the small size of the brewery, and, in turn, the quality of the beer, Maytag helped competitors become proficient in microbrewing.