An inconsistent cup of coffee can make or break your day — but new research is shedding light on just how the industry can dial up the production process for a more reliable flavor .

University of Oregon researchers repurposed a tool called a potentiostat, typically used to test batteries, to send an electrical current through coffee .

Through this simple process, they were able to identify coffee’s “chemical fingerprint” that determines the drink’s flavor .

“It’s an objective way to make a statement about what people like in a cup of coffee,” university chemist Christopher Hendon, the lead researcher known around campus as “Dr. Coffee,” said in a news release.

Traditional tests mainly focus on measuring the strength of coffee.…