Podcast Summary

The Night Owl: True Ghost Stories

Episode 62: Spirits of Moonshine Bar & Grill – Part II

Release Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Stephen Belyeu
Guests: Moonshine Bar & Grill Owners & Staff

Overview

In this immersive episode, host Stephen Belyeu and the Night Owl Paranormal Research Society continue their investigation into one of Austin’s most famously haunted sites: Moonshine Bar & Grill. The focus is on collecting firsthand stories from owners, longtime staff, and those whose daily lives intertwine with the building’s supernatural legacy. Over two centuries old, the Moonshine property is steeped in Austin's history and dense with tales of lingering spirits—most notably the fierce matriarch Catherine, a mischievous child, and other distinct presences.
The episode blends historical research with chilling personal experiences, as Belyeu and his interviewees attempt to separate myth from reality and explore how the living coexist with Moonshine’s spectral residents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historic Foundation of Moonshine Bar & Grill

• Property Background: The Moonshine compound dates back to the late 1830s as part of Austin’s original Waterloo settlement. The main building (ca. 1854) was a mercantile and residence built by German settler Henry Hoffeins.
• Survival Through Tragedy: The property survived major Texas floods, economic crashes, and various historical events. Notably, it remained untouched by several catastrophic floods that ravaged the city.
• Layered History: Over the years, the site was a dry goods store, domino parlor, saloon, and even a hippie commune in the 1960s. The original Sunday House and cellar ("Kinfolk") have been preserved and repurposed.

Notable Quote:

“Imagine the events, both triumphant and tragic, that these buildings have witnessed over the past 170 years. … While the full truth of what lingers within these walls remains uncertain, there are a few stories that appear again and again.” — Stephen Belyeu, (09:00)

2. Owners' Experiences and Philosophy

Chuck (Founder)

• Reluctant Start: Initially turned down the opportunity three times, but felt drawn to create a space for gathering, rooted in authenticity and comfort.
• First Paranormal Event: The incident of a marinating cherry whiskey jar mysteriously sliding and shattering—with no rational cause—signaled “something going on here” (15:35).
• Philosophy on Spirits: Chuck and Larry both frame the hauntings as “visits” or signs of family-like presence, not malevolent hauntings. They see their role as caretakers and curators of the building’s soul.

Notable Quote:

“People call them hauntings and I would tell you at Moonshine it’s only felt like visits. We've always felt like there was this family presence from the past there." — Chuck, (19:33)

Larry (Co-owner)

• Early Experiences: Ghostly events began even during pre-opening renovations. Most dramatic was an unplugged generator powering on at the same spot later designated as haunted Table 34.
• Two Resident Spirits: Describes “the young one” (mischievous, playful) and “the older woman” (proud, particular—believed to be Catherine).
• Impact on Staff: Some staff have had falls or injuries in areas perceived as more “active.” Larry attributes early disturbances to the spirits' uneasiness about change, which has since mellowed after the staff began to show respect.

Notable Quote:

“Chuck and I have always looked at this as a watering hole. And what’s crazy is... it wasn’t just a watering hole for us in this plane, this is a watering hole for spirits as well.” — Larry, (22:05)

3. Signature Spirit Encounters & Locations

Table 34

• Shoulder Taps & Cold Spots: Multiple guests and staff have reported feeling tapped or brushed by unseen hands, especially at this now-infamous table.
• Historic Connection: Both psychic and physical events (powering-on of the generator, guest reports, and construction worker experiences) center on this spot.

Sunday House

• Deep Sensation of Presence: Staff routinely feel unease, cold spots, and protective energies (especially when alone late at night).

The Carriage House Bar

• Dark & Malevolent Energy: Reports of flying glassware, bottles shattering, and staff feeling threatened. Believed by some to be associated with Adolf, Catherine's husband.

The Office & Upstairs

• Childlike Mischief: Staff Jordan and Devin describe persistent prankish events—corks popping from empty wine bottles, strange sounds, and, notably, computer keyboards typing on their own or acting bizarrely, a phenomenon remedied only by designating a “play” keyboard for the child spirit.

Notable Quote:

“I would look up at the screen and it would be gibberish… It kept going, random letters continuing… I started to convince myself I had a brain tumor… then it started happening to Devin’s computer.” — Jordan, (41:50)

4. The Resident Spirits

Catherine (Matriarch & Protector)

• Dominant Presence: Described as proud and particular, she’s seen as “watching over the place,” protecting those she likes and warning (sometimes forcefully) against disrespect or unauthorized renovations.
• Management’s Rituals: Staff leave a shot of gin nightly as a gesture of respect.

The Child Spirit

• Playful but Persistent: The entity often manifests as mischief—tapping, flicking, moving objects, odd computer and office activity. Some believe it to be a girl (based on early stories and psychic impressions), others cite research indicating it was a young boy who died in a streetcar accident (not a well).

The Drunk at the Bar

• Male Presence: Experienced mostly by delivery and cleaning crews, typically encountered late at night at seat B1.

Dark Male Presence (Carriage House)

• Feelings of Threat: Staff sense anger and occasional danger; believed—based on local lore and research—to be the spirit of Adolf, once described as menacing in life.

Mystery Fifth Spirit

• Mediums’ Reports: Several mediums feel five presences; the identity of the fifth remains unknown, though some speculate about a traveler or unsettled, transient soul.

Notable Quote:

“We’re cohabitating this space. I think it’s important for us to just understand their needs so that we can work in this space together.” — Jordan, (56:07)

5. Staff Stories: Accounts of the Paranormal

Jordan (Business Director)

• First Encounter: All wine corks shooting out simultaneously (39:16), followed by blinds moving on their own and the bizarre computer events.
• Haunted Construction: Noted that injuries increased when renovations occurred without “asking permission” from Catherine.
• “Beat it!” in the Office: During a medium session, a medium unwittingly used Jordan’s own words when dismissing someone from her chair, confirming a level of intimacy and awareness from the spirit.

Devin (Event Manager)

• Personal Experiences:
  • An intense cold gust only affecting one side of her body in the Sunday House (61:23).
  • All lights going out then springing intensely back on during a vulnerable moment in the cellar (Kinfolk).
  • Tech Malfunctions: Mysterious computer viruses and pop-ups, which she attributes to “hitchhiking” spirits expelled by Catherine (67:53).

Cameron (Head Bartender)

• Security Footage Evidence: A bottle of gin imploding on itself and a stack of charcuterie boards falling simultaneously, captured on video.
• Presences: Occasional overwhelming sensations of an unseen adult woman’s presence.

Sarah (Bar Manager)

• Cellphone Incident: Mocking the ghost in the alley led to her phone being violently thrown from her hand (72:10).
• Table 34 Reports: Guest complaints about being touched, cold spots, and even blown on by “nobody.” Confirmation by an outside ghost-hunting crew.
• Sunday House Testimony: A former resident described being protected from abuse by a slamming, locking door, attributed to the ghost.

Sonja (General Manager)

• Reluctant Believer: As a skeptic, she only began to believe after extreme experiences late at night as management.
• Aggressive Encounter: Pounding on walls escalated to overwhelming fear. A call to her friend during an incident yielded reports of “screaming voices” through the phone, though Sonja heard nothing herself (85:17).
• Disembodied Command: Another late night, she heard a “very loud ‘Get out’” while wrapping up work, which she interpreted as tough love from Catherine (88:37).
• Resolution: Found that respectful communication with the spirits led to a cessation of negative incidents—a peace achieved through cohabitation and acknowledgement.

Notable Quote:

“A call to her friend during an incident yielded reports of ‘screaming voices’ through the phone, though Sonja heard nothing herself.” — Sonja, (85:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Chuck (15:35):
  “The jar slides off the counter, falls to the floor and shatters… I guess we’re not going to do any cherry infused whiskey. And that was my very first encounter of something that I didn’t quite understand.”

• Larry (22:05):
  “We’ve learned over time that this just wasn’t a watering hole for us in this plane, that this is a watering hole for spirits as well.”

• Jordan (41:50):
  “I would look up at the screen and it would be gibberish…convinced myself I had a brain tumor…then it started happening to Devin’s computer.”

• Sarah (72:10):
  “I said, ‘It’s me, the ghost,’ to mess with her. And my cell phone shot across the alley down the hill. So I didn’t mess with them anymore after that.”

• Sonja (85:17):
  “The last minute, I’ve been hearing people screaming at you…there were voices so loud, it sounded like somebody had jumped you…as soon as I got outside, it went away.”

• Sonja (88:37):
  “I heard a very, very loud yelling asking me to get out. It was a very loud ‘get out.’…I think that was perhaps Catherine saying, ‘Okay, enough, chill out, you need to go home.’”

• Larry (28:44):
  “As long as you acknowledge them, they’ll listen…some customers or staff, they latch onto some people and move them out.”

Timeline of Important Segments

• Historical background & introduction: 00:00–11:04
• Owner Chuck shares personal stories: 11:04–20:56
• Owner Larry deep-dives into spirits and incidents: 21:17–33:51
• Jordan discusses ongoing staff experiences: 38:33–50:45
• Medium’s visit and results: 50:45–56:18
• Devin recounts personal and tech-based phenomena: 59:11–69:18
• Cameron and Sarah, bar stories & investigation: 69:18–78:20
• Sonja, the reluctant believer, shares disturbing events: 79:20–90:53
• Stephen, closing thoughts, next steps in investigation: 90:53–End

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is warm, conversational, and filled with authentic awe and respect—for both the history and the unexplained. The hosts and guests invite listeners into their world, sometimes with laughter, sometimes with unease, but always with the sense of a close-knit community (living and otherwise) sharing their stories. The reporting is open-minded but never sensational, focusing on honest experience and emotional truth.

Conclusion

“Spirits of Moonshine Bar & Grill – Part II” is a tapestry of Austin lore, heartfelt testimony, and ghostly encounters. The owners and staff treat Moonshine as more than a workplace—it’s a living entity, one that they both protect and are protected by. The episode paints a picture of mutual respect and cautious curiosity between the living and the supposed spirits.

Stay tuned for Part III as the Night Owl Paranormal Research Society plans a full overnight investigation, with more staff ready to share their experiences and the original psychic medium joining in for the first time in years.