TURBOSHOT vs SOUP: two techniques challenging everything we teach about espresso
For decades, espresso extraction has followed one rule: fine grind, 9 bar, 25-30 seconds. Two newer techniques are questioning that dogma. Here’s what you need to know.
THE TURBOSHOT
Popularized around 2020-2021 following the research of Christopher Hendon and Michael Cameron (« Systematically Improving Espresso »), the turboshot rethinks extraction for lighter roasts.
The method: a coarser grind than standard espresso, pressure reduced to around 6 bar, extraction time around 15 seconds, yielding a ratio close to a traditional espresso (~1:2.7).
The result: more sweetness, more clarity, less bitterness, while keeping a body close to a classic espresso. Same silhouette, very different cup.
THE SOUP (Spresso Only Un-Pressurized)
If the turboshot intrigued you, SOUP takes it further. Born on manual lever machines like the Flair Pro 2, it pushes the same logic to its limit.
The method: an even coarser grind, near-zero pressure (under 2 bar), a 1:3+ ratio, extraction up to 25 seconds.
The result: a thin, almost tea-like body, sitting somewhere between espresso and pour-over. You lose the syrupy mouthfeel of a classic shot, but gain remarkable clarity and sweetness, especially on very light roasts like Geisha.
THE DIFFERENCE IN ONE LINE
The turboshot keeps the DNA of espresso and adjusts three variables (grind, pressure, time). SOUP nearly abandons pressure altogether and moves toward a gravity-fed, filter-like extraction.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Both techniques point to a bigger shift: data and science are entering our extraction protocols, and what used to be dismissed as « mistakes » (coarser grind, under-pressure) are now deliberate technical choices with real cup benefits on lighter roasts.
This is exactly what we explore in our SCA and Q Grader trainings at Académie du Café Suisse: understanding extraction variables well enough to control them, not just follow a fixed recipe.
Have you tried a turboshot or a SOUP shot on your own setup? Tell me in the comments what showed up in the cup.
#enniocantergiani #academieducafe #espresso #turboshot #specialtycoffee #baristatraining #qgrader #sca #coffeescience
Sources:
• Turbo Shot Espresso: A Detailed Exploration — CoffeeGeek: https://coffeegeek.com/opinions/history-technology/turbo-shot-espresso-a-detailed-exploration/
• What Are Soup Shots? Low-Pressure Espresso Explained — Clive Coffee: https://clivecoffee.com/blogs/learn/what-are-soup-shots
• Systematically Improving Espresso — Hendon, Cameron et al. (Matter, 2020): https://www.cell.com/matter/pdf/S2590-2385(19)30410-2.pdf