The Wood Roaster in Sydney’s inner west is one of the few companies roasting its coffee beans over locally-sourced wood. This includes its single origin coffee beans, as well as its coffee blends, such as its latest Winter Blend release.

The Winter Blend forms part of The Wood Roaster’s Seasonal Blends range. It features flavours of red plums, raspberry and dark chocolate, and is “perfect for black coffee drinkers”. 

The Wood Roaster can roast up to 16.5 tonnes of coffee each week. Its wood-roasting process involves a temperature-controlled roaster, which has data logging technology to accurately regulate the method of roasting.

Using Australian Iron Bark sourced from Queensland, The Wood Roaster uses this wood to “produce more dry heat to bring out the inherent flavour of the beans,” as well as limiting “the amount of smoke influencing the flavour”.

The Wood Roaster director Kim Loupis and his team are “committed to only sourcing wood from fully sustainable forests as burning wood is green, unlike using coal or gas methods”.

The site also features a second catalytic burner in the roasting system to aid The Wood Roaster as becoming completely carbon neutral, while sourcing its energy for the roaster from 52 solar panels.

Loupis and the team develop coffee blends both from internal experimentation and as requested by customers.

“Once a product has been formulated, it enters a testing phase within the wider team for critique and edits, followed by further testing with their current clients for feedback, and finally, it’s produced for customers,” said Loupis.

“Coffee can often feel personal to customers, so customers may request a blend that is not yet on offer. This method is the perfect way to collaborate with customers and showcase The Wood Roaster’s expertise in speciality coffee.”

The Wood Roaster’s range of single origin beans and coffee blends are for purchase online or at its Marrickville roastery.