Thank you Leif Haven of Sprudge for the great write-up.
“Mr. Espresso was instrumental in spreading early espresso culture in the Bay, both with their machines and service, and with the beans they started roasting to supply the (then) new-fangled machines they were bringing in. Carlo Di Ruocco learned the ways of roasting at a traditional wood-fired roastery in Salerno, Italy. Nowadays their roasters use RoastLog software for precise and careful control, but the oak wood has stayed. Luigi Di Ruocco claims that the low, even heat of the wood leads to a “slower roasting process that makes for more mellow and sweet espresso.”
To read the rest of the article, click here: http://sprudge.com/gorgeous-machines-wood-fired-roasters-and-sugar-shots-at-mr-espresso-in-oakland.html