# Soup Shot

Source: https://dailyextraction.com/methods/soup-shot/
Last updated: 2026-10-20

> A soup shot is a modern espresso-style shot pulled at very low pressure, under 2 bar and by some accounts never above 1, with a much coarser grind and paper filters around the puck. It runs to about three times the dose in roughly 20 seconds and tastes clear, more like a pour-over than a syrupy espresso. YouTuber Lance Hedrick brought it to wider attention in 2025.

## At a glance

- Ratio: About 1:3
- Grind: Medium-fine (table salt)
- Category: Pressure & Espresso (Pressure)
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Origin: Global & Modern
- Also known as: soup shots, soup espresso, low-pressure espresso, long-ratio espresso

## Steps

1. **Grind coarser than espresso**: Grind noticeably coarser than you would for a normal espresso.
2. **Prep the puck**: Dose and distribute as usual. Many recipes add a round paper filter under the coffee, and some another on top.
3. **Keep the pressure low**: Brew at very low pressure, under 2 bar and some say no more than 1, using a manual lever press, flow control, or a low-pressure brewer.
4. **Pull it long**: Run the shot to about three times the dose, quickly; one guide puts the whole brew at about 20 seconds.
5. **Taste and adjust**: If it's thin and sour, grind a little finer. If it's harsh, grind coarser or lower the pressure.

A **soup shot** is a modern, espresso-style shot pulled at **very low pressure**, under 2 bar and by some accounts never above 1, with a **much coarser grind**, **paper filters** around the puck and a ratio of about **1:3**. It runs quickly and tastes **clear**, closer to a pour-over than a syrupy espresso, with foam but no crema. Aftermath reports it began on the Espresso Aficionados Discord, and the coffee YouTuber **Lance Hedrick** brought it to wider attention in 2025. Here's what it is, how to pull one and how it compares with a classic [espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/espresso/).

## The short version

- **Very low pressure**, under 2 bar, compared with about 9 bar for espresso.
- **A much coarser grind**, with paper filters around the puck.
- **About 1:3**, coffee to drink.
- **Quick**: about 20 seconds in one guide.
- **Clear and light-bodied**, with foam but no crema.



## Soup shot vs classic espresso

| | Soup shot | Classic [espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/espresso/) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pressure | Very low: under 2 bar, some say 1 bar at most | About 9 bar |
| Grind | Much coarser, with paper filters | Fine |
| Ratio | About 1:3 | 1:1.5 to 1:2.5 (SCA training) |
| Time | About 20 seconds in one guide | 20–30 seconds (SCA training) |
| Top | Foam, no crema | Crema |

Recipes vary a lot, and the style is new, so there's no standard. Aftermath describes it as calling for **even lower pressure than a turbo shot, never above 1 bar**, and a grind with **twice the burr gap of a turbo shot**. In a Home-Barista discussion, it's described as a **roughly 3:1, very low-pressure shot**, under 2 bar with 20–25 g doses.

## What do you need?

Low pressure is the hard part on a normal espresso machine, which is built for about 9 bar. Soup shots are usually pulled on:

- **A [manual espresso press](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/manual-espresso/)**, such as a Flair, where you control the pressure by hand
- **A machine with flow or pressure control**
- **Low-pressure brewers** such as the [AeroPress](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/aeropress/) or the OXO Rapid Brewer

## How do you pull a soup shot?

1. **Grind coarser** than for espresso.
2. **Dose and prep the puck** as usual, with a round paper filter under the coffee (and often another on top).
3. **Keep the pressure very low**, under 2 bar, or 1 bar at most by some accounts.
4. **Run it to about three times the dose**, quickly; one guide's brew takes about 20 seconds.
5. **Taste and adjust**: finer if it's thin and sour, coarser or gentler if it's harsh.

![Chart of coffee grind sizes from extra fine to extra coarse, with medium-fine highlighted for the soup shot](https://dailyextraction.com/diagrams/grind-size.svg#medium-fine "A soup shot uses a grind coarser than espresso.")

## Soup shot vs turbo shot

Both are modern styles that grind coarser than a classic shot and taste lighter. A **[turbo shot](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/turbo-shot/)** keeps fairly normal espresso pressure, sometimes a little lower, and runs fast. A **soup shot** drops the pressure much further and usually runs to a longer ratio.

*General guidance only. Espresso machines and manual presses work under pressure and with hot water, so always follow the instructions for your equipment.*

## Soup shot vs other shots

- **[Espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/espresso/):** the classic, high-pressure shot.
- **[Turbo shot](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/turbo-shot/):** a fast, coarser modern style.
- **[Lungo](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/lungo/):** a long shot at normal pressure.
- **[Manual espresso press](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/manual-espresso/):** the kind of brewer soup shots were designed around.

Explore every pressure method in the [pressure chapter](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/pressure/).

## Words used in this guide

- [Pour-over](https://dailyextraction.com/glossary/pour-over/): Pour-over is a way of making filter coffee by hand: you pour hot water over ground coffee in a filter cone and let it drip through into a cup or jug.
- [Crema](https://dailyextraction.com/glossary/crema/): Crema is the golden-brown foam on top of an espresso.

## FAQs

### What is a soup shot?

An espresso-style shot pulled at very low pressure, with a much coarser grind, paper filters around the puck and a ratio of about 1:3. It makes foam but no crema, and tastes clear, more like a pour-over than a thick, syrupy espresso.

### Who came up with the soup shot?

Aftermath reports that it began as a pet project on the Espresso Aficionados Discord, and the coffee YouTuber Lance Hedrick brought it to wider attention in 2025, including on the OXO Rapid Brewer.

### What ratio is a soup shot?

Around 1:3, coffee to drink by weight, in the Home-Barista discussion of the style; one example there was 19 g of coffee to 70 g out, about 1:3.7. Recipes vary.

### What pressure is a soup shot?

Very low. Aftermath says never more than 1 bar; a Home-Barista discussion describes shots under 2 bar. Classic espresso uses about 9 bar.

### Can I make a soup shot with an AeroPress?

People do. AeroPrecipe publishes an AeroPress soup recipe, and the OXO Rapid Brewer, a small hand-pumped brewer, is a popular choice: Aftermath suggests 18–20 g of coffee and about 82 ml of water, with a brew of about 20 seconds.

## Sources

- [OXO Rapid Brewer: compact pressure brewing for clear, concentrated soup shots](https://beannbeancoffee.com/blogs/beansider/oxo-rapid-brewer-compact-pressure-brewing-for-clear-concentrated-soup-shots)
- [Soup shots with an AeroPress](https://aeroprecipe.com/recipes/soup-shots-with-an-aeropress)
- [The OXO Rapid Brewer and soup shots](https://aftermath.site/oxo-rapid-brewer-coffee-espresso-soup-shots)
- [Soup: a low-pressure technique for extracting ultra-light roasts](https://www.home-barista.com/tips/soup-low-pressure-technique-for-extracting-ultra-light-roasts-t100741.html)