Rochester brewer hopes to make a statement with Thesis Beer Project

A new brewery is beginning to take shape in Rochester's Uptown district.

Adam Frederickson is moving forward with plans to start a microbrewery and taproom at 1929 Second Street Southwest, next to Tyrol Ski & Sports.

Frederickson, who previously spent time at Grand Rounds and LTS, expects to have the brewery, known as Thesis Beer Project, open in early 2019.

Adam Frederickson of Thesis Beer Project

During a recent tour of the 3,300 square-foot space, Frederickson said he hopes to ride the momentum building in Rochester's craft beer scene. Thesis Beer Project will be the fifth brewery to open in just the past four years.

"There's a fun thing brewing here in Rochester," he said.

With more breweries emerging locally, Frederickson said the most common question he gets is whether Rochester can sustain another one.

However, he said cities like Duluth, which just opened its 10th brewery, prove that communities this size can support local beer-making. The key, he explained, is making sure the small breweries work together.

"There's a lot of camaraderie in this business," said Frederickson, who recently helped Steve and Dawn Finnie with the opening of Little Thistle Brewing across town. "The more we keep making better beer [in Rochester], the more people that will come out and support all the breweries."

To get started, Frederickson, who will also serve as head brewer of Thesis Beer Project, will use a five-barrel brewing system. While he acknowledged it's smaller than some of the others in town, he said having eight fermenters will allow him to experiment with different styles of beer.

"We'll be able to do small batches with a focus on freshness and quality," he said. "We won't be locked into just three or four beers at a time."

Thesis Beer Project plans to have a mural painted on the back of its building

Inside the taproom, Frederickson and his co-partner and wife, Allyson Palmer, plan to put a heavy emphasis on art and music. The space, he described, will be open, colorful and "maybe a little loud at times."

Outside, there will be a patio overlooking Second Street, plus space for 60 parking spaces in the back of the building. And while the business will not offer food, it does plan to partner with local restaurants and food trucks.

"Having access to good food here won't be an issue," said Frederickson.

In choosing a location for the brewery, Frederickson said the Uptown area was a good fit because of the potential it holds. He pointed to a 30-unit apartment complex going up next door to his building as an example of the activity beginning to happen in the neighborhood.

"We want to be part of the change taking place here," said Frederickson, a 2004 graduate of Kasson-Mantorville High School. "And this is our thesis — the thing we're putting out into the world as a statement."

Cover: Front exterior rendering of Thesis Beer Project