Ghost Bites

By Brew Crime

Ghost Bites is a weekly podcast from Mike and J.T. of Brew Crime, for quick, 5–10 minute dives into the haunted, spooky, and paranormal. Get your weekly dose of all things creepy, served with a side o... more

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FAQs about Ghost Bites:

How many episodes does Ghost Bites have?

The podcast currently has 41 episodes available.

Ghost Bites episodes:

December 18, 2025 HH04 Belsnickel: The Fur-Clad Judge of Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas
Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT venture into the folklore of southwestern Germany and the American tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch to meet Belsnickel. Mike details Belsnickel's unique role as a pre-Christmas judge who travels alone, dressed in ragged furs, wielding both
a switch and pockets full of treats. Mike also covers the elaborate "Belsnickling" rituals and the character's eventual decline. JT hilariously critiques the sheer psychological terror of the Belsnickel's moral test (especially the "candy scramble"), questions why a figure of moral accountability looks like a runaway woodsman, and analyzes the extreme chaos of a holiday tradition based entirely on the fear of a gentle swat.
Sources
●    Uncharted Lancaster. (2024,
December 6). The Belsnickel: A
Mischievous Spirit of Christmas Past. Retrieved from https://unchartedlancaster.com/2024/12/06/the-belsnickel-a-mischievous-spirit-of-christmas-past/
●    VisitPAAmericana. (2019, December
18). What - or Who - is Belsnickel?.
Retrieved from https://www.visitpaamericana.com/blog/post/what-or-who-is-belsnickel/
●    Wikipedia. (n.d.). Belsnickel. Retrieved October 9, 2025,
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belsnickel
●    WITF. (2023, December 20). Who is Belsnickel in Pennsylvania Dutch
Christmas tradition? [The Spark]. Retrieved from https://www.witf.org/2023/12/20/who-is-belsnickel-in-pennsylvania-dutch-christmas-tradition/
●    Woot & Hammy. (n.d.). Krampus, Santa's Other Little Helper, and
Perchta, Christmas Terrors. Retrieved from https://wootandhammy.com/blogs/news/krampus-perchta-the-christmas-terrors
Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

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11min
December 15, 2025 HH03 Perchta: The Belly-Slitting Christmas Goddess
Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT venture into the chilling, pre-Christian folklore of the Alpine regions to confront Perchta (or Frau Berchta), the dual-natured winter goddess. Mike details her terrifying role as the "Belly-Slitter," who roams the countryside during the Twelve Days of Christmas to enforce social and domestic order. Perchta's punishment for the lazy is grotesque: she cuts open their stomachs, removes their guts, and replaces them with straw and pebbles. JT critiques the sheer insanity of using organ-removal as a domestic punishment, questions the logistics of the
required traditional meal of fish and gruel, and analyzes the extreme measures the Catholic Church took to demonize a goddess who was just a little too focused on tidiness and spinning.

Source
●    Morris, S. (2014, December 22). Perchta and the 12 Days of Christmas (Part
2). Stephen Morris, author. Retrieved from https://www.stephenmorrisauthor.com/perchta-12-days-christmas/
●    Myth Perchta. (n.d.). Perchta.Tirol. Retrieved October 9,
2025, from https://perchta.tirol/myth.en.html
●    Smithsonian Magazine. (2024,
February 28). Before the Yule Lads
Evolved Into Icelandic Versions of Santa Claus, They Terrorized Children Into
Following the Rules. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-yule-lads-evolved-into-icelandic-versions-santa-claus-they-terrorized-children-into-following-rules-180948162/
●    VICE. (2018, December 20). Meet Christmas Goddess Perchta, a
Belly-Slitting, Half-Woman Demon. Retrieved from https://www.vice.com/en/article/perchta-christmas-goddess-demon-woman/
●    Wikipedia. (n.d.). Perchta. Retrieved October 9, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perchta
Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

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10min
December 11, 2025 HH02 The Tomte: Tiny Protector, Enormous Fury
Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT take a deep dive into Scandinavian folklore to examine the Tomte (or Nisse), the diminutive, yet fiercely powerful, homestead spirit. Mike details the Tomte's essential job—protecting the farm and livestock—and his simple, non-negotiable
demand: a single bowl of porridge with butter. JT critiques the Tomte's
high-stakes payment contract, analyzes the absurdity of his extreme vengeance (which involves everything from killing livestock to crushing farmers over bad manners), and tracks his career evolution from a homicidal gnome to the modern, jolly Jultomten. It's a hilarious look at a traditional myth that proves the cost of a clean barn might just be your life.

Sources
● Hafstein, V. (2018). The Tomte/Nisse. In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Scandinavian Literature and Mythology.
Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199580471.001.0001/acref-9780199580471-e-0498
● Nordiska museet. (n.d.). Tomten i folktron. Retrieved October 9,
2025, from https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/arets-händelser/jul/tomten-i-folktron
Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

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11min
December 08, 2025 HH01 Iceland's Troubling Trolls: The 13 Yule Lads
Description
Today on Ghost Bites, Mike and JT take a festive, yet deeply unsettling, trip to Iceland to explore the folklore of the 13 Yule Lads (Jólasveinar). Mike details the Lads' evolution from child-eating trolls to modern gift-givers, and introduces their cannibalistic mother, Grýla, and the giant, garment-obsessed Yule Cat. JT dissects the sheer absurdity of their crimes—from Spoon Licking to Skyr Gobbling—and critiques the administrative chaos of having thirteen Santas. It's a hilarious look at a holiday tradition that proves sometimes, the best way to get children to behave is still a credible threat of a rotten potato.

Sources
●    Arctic Portal. (n.d.). The thirteen Icelandic Yule Lads.
Retrieved from https://arcticportal.org/education/quick-facts/people-and-culture/3469-the-thirteen-icelandic-yule-lads
●    Arctic Portal. (n.d.). Icelandic Yule Lads. Retrieved from https://arcticportal.org/x-mas
●    Gale, T. (n.d.). The Yule Lads History. Retrieved from https://icelandicyulelads.com/yule-lads-timeline/
●    Icelandair. (n.d.). Christmas in Iceland: The Yule Lads.
Retrieved from https://www.icelandair.com/blog/the-yule-lads/
●    Icelandic Christmas folklore.
(n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October
9, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Christmas_folklore
●    Nordic Visitor. (n.d.). Christmas in Iceland with the Yule Lads.
Retrieved from https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/the-13-yule-lads-of-iceland/
●    WorldStrides. (n.d.). Iceland's 13 Yule Lads. Retrieved from https://worldstrides.com/en-us/teachers/how-it-works/blog/icelands-13-yule-lads
Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Linktree ⁠

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11min
November 25, 2025 Ghost Bites Haunted Holidays Announced!
Starting December 8th and running through January 1st, Ghost Bites: Haunted Holidays. It's an absolute nightmare.
That's eight episodes of pure, unadulterated yuletide terror! We're talking Belsnickel, we're talking Icelandic Yule Cats, and MUCH more!

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3min
November 24, 2025 15 The Exorcism of Roland Doe (Season Finale)
This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. confront one of the most chilling and controversial cases in paranormal history: the exorcism of "Roland
Doe." This 1949 case, which inspired the infamous novel and film The Exorcist, chronicles the terrifying ordeal of a young boy believed to be possessed by a demonic entity. From unexplained phenomena in his home to the violent and disturbing events that unfolded during the exorcism rites, this story is a grim reminder that some hauntings are more than just bumps in the night. Join us as we explore the real-life events that blurred the line between psychological torment and supernatural horror.

Sources
●    "The Exorcism of Roland
Doe." St. Louis Magazine.
●    "The Real Story Behind The
Exorcist." The Washington Post.
●    "The Exorcist: The True Story
Behind the Film." Smithsonian
Magazine.
●    "The Exorcist: The Real-Life
Case." All That's Interesting.

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

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12min
November 20, 2025 14 Ghosts of the White House
This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. get a presidential haunting as they explore the spooky stories of the White House! From Abraham Lincoln's restless spirit wandering the halls to Abigail Adams doing laundry in the East Room, it seems the nation's most famous residence has some very distinguished, and eternally present, past occupants. Join us as we
uncover the spectral secrets of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and wonder if living with dead presidents is part of the job description, or just really awkward for dinner parties.

Sources
●    "The Most Famous Ghost in the
White House." The White House
Historical Association.
●    "Ghosts of the White
House." White House Museum.
●    "The White House's Most
Famous Ghosts." National Geographic.
●    "Churchill's Ghostly
Encounter with Abraham Lincoln." History
Channel.
●    "The Story of Abigail Adams’
Ghost." The New York Times.
●    "The Ghosts of the White
House." The Washington Post.

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

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11min
November 17, 2025 13 The Flying Dutchman
This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. set sail into the eerie legend of The
Flying Dutchman, the ghostly apparition of a ship doomed to sail the oceans forever, unable to make port. With tales of phantom sails, spectral crews, and ominous encounters stretching back centuries, this is one maritime mystery that truly gives you chills, and maybe a touch of seasickness. Join us as we navigate the fog-shrouded history of this legendary ghost ship and wonder if its crew just really hates land, or if they're stuck with the worst eternal
commute ever.

Sources
●    "The Flying Dutchman."
Britannica.
●    "The Flying Dutchman: Legend
of the Ghost Ship." Maritime Museum.
●    "The Flying Dutchman: Legend
and Lore." Folklore and Mythology.
●    "The Fata Morgana
Mirage." National Geographic.
●    "The Flying Dutchman Sighting
by King George V." Royal Museums Greenwich.

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

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10min
November 13, 2025 12 The Tucker Telephone
This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. delve into a truly horrifying piece of history: the Tucker Telephone. Not a phone at all, but a barbaric torture
device allegedly used at Arkansas's Tucker State Prison, this contraption
delivered electric shocks to... let's just say "sensitive areas."
Join us as we uncover the grim details of this inhumane device and the abuses within the prison system, reminding us that sometimes the most terrifying monsters aren't ghosts, but the ones behind bars, both literally and figuratively. Prepare yourselves, because this one isn't just spooky, it's
stomach-churning.

Sources
●    "The Tucker Telephone."
Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
●    "Justice: Too Cruel for the
Cruel." TIME Magazine.
●    "The Dark History of the
Arkansas Prison and the Tucker Telephone." Audible.in.
●    "Almon Brown Strowger."
Wikipedia.
●    Holt v. Sarver, 309 F. Supp. 362
(E.D. Ark. 1970).

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

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10min
November 10, 2025 11 The Mystery of Number Stations
This week on Ghost Bites, Mike and J.T. tune into a different kind of haunted broadcast—the mysterious world of number stations. These shortwave radio transmissions, featuring eerie, computer-generated voices reciting cryptic strings of numbers, have been baffling listeners for decades. Are they messages to spies? Are they some kind of "dead hand" signal? Or is it just a really bad radio show that needs to be taken off the air? Join us as we try to decode the bizarre history of these broadcasts and wonder why the government can't just send a spooky text.

Sources
●    "The Spooky World of Numbers
Stations." Atlas Obscura.
●    "The Buzzer: The mysterious
Russian shortwave radio station." BBC News.
●    "Numbers stations: The voice
of espionage." The Guardian.

Intro Music by - Jayme McDonald (Chatterless) ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Linktree ⁠

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11min

FAQs about Ghost Bites:

How many episodes does Ghost Bites have?

The podcast currently has 41 episodes available.