Like "barbo117" said, the secret ingredient is baking soda - I'm the only one who drinks iced tea here in our home (and having lived a while in the south, I like it sweet!). Without the baking soda, after a day or two in the fridge the tea becomes a little stale - tasting like it's bottled and not fresh brewed. But WITH the baking soda, it stays fresh tasting for the 2-3 days it takes for me to drink up a pitcher of tea! Oh, I LOVE my iced tea maker from Hamilton Beach - it has a long, oval pitcher instead of round and fits better in the fridge! I follow the directions, use 3 large family size bags of Luiziane Tea bags; put 1 cup of sugar & 1/4 tsp baking soda over the ice in the pitcher and the hot brewed tea melts the sugar & soda & just enough ice for a PERFECT pitcher of sweet tea!