CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The community continues to grieve the loss of Dan Wade, one of the beloved owners of Wooden Robot. He tragically died on Tuesday, after a fall at his brewery.
The North Carolina Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Division was on the scene and told WCNC Charlotte the inspection can take up to six months to complete. But while the investigation is ongoing, people are remembering Wade for all he did.
There are two sides to the beer-making process. There's the brewing process that people see inside breweries and the side that Brad Maas mentions. Maas, a brewer at Suffolk Punch said there is a side that isn't learned. It's a side Maas said Wade mastered effortlessly.
“I’d thank Dan for being a friend to everyone he met and working so hard to create a community in Charlotte," Maas said. "Lighting the way for other breweries like us to come in.”
In the wake of the tragedy, Maas said he and others have a lot to thank Wade for.
"A lot of breweries do owe their success to him specifically," Maas said. "Dan was a big part in crafting what the Charlotte brewery scene is today.”
He said he distilled pillars of friendship for more than 10 years and while he was a mastermind at the tanks, he also knew how to make a place memorable.
"Creating connections, doing collaborations, meeting new people, and that’s what Dan was so great at," Maas said. "It won’t be the same without Dan. We will never forget our experiences with him and the lessons we’ve learned from him”
Hoppin' in South End posted on Instagram and said a portion of their sales from now until the end of March will go to Dan's family.
Wooden Robot also started a GoFundMe for Wade's wife and newborn son. Wade was also an uncle to six nieces and nephews and a dedicated rescue dog dad. The GoFundMe has already raised over $72,800 by Thursday morning.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.