Totopia Frogphobia is a 10.5% Belgian tripel from Totopia Brewery, based in Nagakute, in Aichi., Japan. It’s part of their canned and draught lineup, thought its availability is unknown at the time of writing. Totopia Frogphobia also has adjuncts in the form of cacao nibs, pistachio nuts, and also vanilla beans for added flavour. As the name suggests, the beer is named after the fear of frogs, though this is quite lazy from Totopia Brewery as the actual name given to the fear of frogs is ranidaphobia – now you know.
Totopia Frogphobia : At A Glance
Basics
- Alcohol : 10.5%
- Style : Belgian tripel base w/spices
- Hops : Stryian Goldings
- IBU : –
Sale Information
- Availability : –
- On Sale : From February 2023
- Size : 500 ml
- Price : From 1,100 yen
Aroma & Taste
- Notable Aromas : Nutty creamy aroma of vanilla with Belgian yeast funk of phenols and candied sugar. Boozy when warmed up.
- Notable Tastes : Creamy body with light chocolate notes and Belgian yeast funk. Nutty flavour with vanilla notes when warm.
Totopia Frogphobia : Aroma & Taste
Totopia Frogphobia poured out a dark hazy orange colour with a thin amount of head that left some lacing down the edge of the glass, but only for about half the time during drinking. At that point, I think it just gave up the will to hold on for much longer and faded into the beer. The aroma coming from Totopia Frogphobia was for want of a better expression, interesting. Not in a bad way. And not necessarily in a good way either. I knew what I was letting myself in for when I bought this beer but that still didn’t prepare my nose for what was coming up.
I was hoping for a Belgian tripel base being at the forefront of Totopia Frogphobia, but instead it was the adjuncts that were first up, with a large nutty aroma along with a massive vanilla creaminess that could not be mistaken for anything else – and if you have ever made a cake with vanilla essence and done a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon – damn imperial units – then you know what I mean. After letting Totopia Frogphobia settle for a bit, there was more of the traditional Belgian funk that I was expecting, with some of the phenols from the yeast cutting through, along with some candied sugar notes. As the beer warmed up, there was a big dose of booziness to the beer that was warming, but felt a bit mixed up in the end.
The body to Totopia Frogphobia began with a creaminess that I am not used to with Belgian tripel beers, with a vanilla and pistachio flavour being at the forefront. Like in the nose, as the beer warmed up, more of the traditional flavours that are associated with a Belgian tripel came though, along with more of the alcohol booziness, but my brain was confused with what was going on in the end, so the booze probably helped knock it out.
Totopia Frogphobia : The Bottom Line
I really don’t know how I feel about Totopia Frogphobia – it’s nice to riff on some styles that have traditionally been staid, but perhaps that’s a reason why they haven’t changed.
Totopia Frogphobia : Where to Buy
Totopia Frogphobia can be bought online at the following places:
