diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnection.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnection.java
index e549adf9d..74539f385 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnection.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnection.java
@@ -35,11 +35,9 @@ import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.RedisConnection;
 public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 
 	private final JRedis jredis;
-	private final String encoding;
 
-	public JredisConnection(JRedis jredis, String encoding) {
+	public JredisConnection(JRedis jredis) {
 		this.jredis = jredis;
-		this.encoding = encoding;
 	}
 
 	protected DataAccessException convertJedisAccessException(Exception ex) {
@@ -206,7 +204,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String get(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.get(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.get(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -224,7 +222,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String getSet(String key, String value) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.getset(key, value), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.getset(key, value));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -243,7 +241,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public List<String> mGet(String... keys) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.mget(keys), encoding, List.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.mget(keys), List.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -284,7 +282,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String substr(String key, int start, int end) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.substr(key, (long) start, (long) end), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.substr(key, (long) start, (long) end));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -343,7 +341,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String lIndex(String key, int index) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.lindex(key, (long) index), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.lindex(key, (long) index));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -361,7 +359,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String lPop(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.lpop(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.lpop(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -382,7 +380,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 		try {
 			List<byte[]> lrange = jredis.lrange(key, start, end);
 
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(lrange, encoding, List.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(lrange, List.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -419,7 +417,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String rPop(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.rpop(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.rpop(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -428,7 +426,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String rPopLPush(String srcKey, String dstKey) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.rpoplpush(srcKey, dstKey), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.rpoplpush(srcKey, dstKey));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -473,7 +471,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 
 		try {
 			List<byte[]> result = jredis.sdiff(set1, sets);
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -498,7 +496,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 
 		try {
 			List<byte[]> result = jredis.sinter(set1, sets);
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -528,7 +526,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public Set<String> sMembers(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.smembers(key), encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.smembers(key), Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -546,7 +544,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String sPop(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.spop(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.spop(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -555,7 +553,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String sRandMember(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.srandmember(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.srandmember(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -577,7 +575,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 
 		try {
 			List<byte[]> result = jredis.sunion(set1, sets);
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(result, Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -649,8 +647,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public Set<String> zRange(String key, int start, int end) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrange(key, (long) start, (long) end), encoding,
-					Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrange(key, (long) start, (long) end), Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -665,7 +662,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public Set<String> zRangeByScore(String key, double min, double max) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrangebyscore(key, min, max), encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrangebyscore(key, min, max), Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -725,7 +722,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public Set<String> zRevRange(String key, int start, int end) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrevrange(key, start, end), encoding, Set.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.zrevrange(key, start, end), Set.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -790,7 +787,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public String hGet(String key, String field) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.hget(key, field), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToString(jredis.hget(key, field));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -799,7 +796,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public Set<Entry> hGetAll(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convert(jredis.hgetall(key), encoding);
+			return JredisUtils.convert(jredis.hgetall(key));
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
@@ -855,7 +852,7 @@ public class JredisConnection implements RedisConnection {
 	@Override
 	public List<String> hVals(String key) {
 		try {
-			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.hvals(key), encoding, List.class);
+			return JredisUtils.convertToStringCollection(jredis.hvals(key), List.class);
 		} catch (RedisException ex) {
 			throw JredisUtils.convertJredisAccessException(ex);
 		}
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnectionFactory.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnectionFactory.java
index 015d36793..8d4d8b6a0 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisConnectionFactory.java
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  */
 public class JredisConnectionFactory implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean, RedisConnectionFactory {
 
-	private String encoding = "UTF-8";
 	private ConnectionSpec connectionSpec;
 
 	private String password;
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ public class JredisConnectionFactory implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean
 
 	@Override
 	public RedisConnection getConnection() {
-		return new JredisConnection((usePool ? pool : new JRedisClient(connectionSpec)), getEncoding());
+		return new JredisConnection((usePool ? pool : new JRedisClient(connectionSpec)));
 	}
 
 
@@ -126,22 +125,6 @@ public class JredisConnectionFactory implements InitializingBean, DisposableBean
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Returns the encoding.
-	 *
-	 * @return Returns the encoding
-	 */
-	public String getEncoding() {
-		return encoding;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param encoding The encoding to set.
-	 */
-	public void setEncoding(String encoding) {
-		this.encoding = encoding;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * @return the password
 	 */
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisUtils.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisUtils.java
index 8bb44a9b3..c6ec31283 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisUtils.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/connection/jredis/JredisUtils.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.jredis;
 
-import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import org.jredis.RedisException;
 import org.jredis.RedisType;
 import org.springframework.dao.DataAccessException;
-import org.springframework.dao.DataRetrievalFailureException;
 import org.springframework.dao.InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException;
 import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.DataType;
 import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.DefaultEntry;
@@ -45,27 +43,19 @@ public abstract class JredisUtils {
 		return new InvalidDataAccessApiUsageException(ex.getMessage(), ex);
 	}
 
-	static String convertToString(byte[] bytes, String encoding) {
-		try {
-			return new String(bytes, encoding);
-		} catch (UnsupportedEncodingException ex) {
-			throw new DataRetrievalFailureException("Unsupported encoding " + encoding, ex);
-		}
+	static String convertToString(byte[] bytes) {
+		return new String(bytes);
 	}
 
-	static <T extends Collection<String>> T convertToStringCollection(List<byte[]> bytes, String encoding, Class<T> collectionType) {
+	static <T extends Collection<String>> T convertToStringCollection(List<byte[]> bytes, Class<T> collectionType) {
 
 		Collection<String> col = (List.class.isAssignableFrom(collectionType) ? new ArrayList<String>(bytes.size())
 				: new LinkedHashSet<String>(bytes.size()));
 
-		try {
-			for (byte[] bs : bytes) {
-				col.add(new String(bs, encoding));
-			}
-			return (T) col;
-		} catch (UnsupportedEncodingException ex) {
-			throw new DataRetrievalFailureException("Unsupported encoding " + encoding, ex);
+		for (byte[] bs : bytes) {
+			col.add(new String(bs));
 		}
+		return (T) col;
 	}
 
 	static DataType convertDataType(RedisType type) {
@@ -87,14 +77,10 @@ public abstract class JredisUtils {
 		return null;
 	}
 
-	static Set<Entry> convert(Map<String, byte[]> map, String encoding) {
+	static Set<Entry> convert(Map<String, byte[]> map) {
 		Set<Entry> entries = new LinkedHashSet<Entry>(map.size());
-		try {
-			for (Map.Entry<String, byte[]> entry : map.entrySet()) {
-				entries.add(new DefaultEntry(entry.getKey(), new String(entry.getValue(), encoding)));
-			}
-		} catch (UnsupportedEncodingException ex) {
-			throw new DataRetrievalFailureException("Unsupported encoding " + encoding, ex);
+		for (Map.Entry<String, byte[]> entry : map.entrySet()) {
+			entries.add(new DefaultEntry(entry.getKey(), new String(entry.getValue())));
 		}
 		return entries;
 	}
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollection.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollection.java
index 8f886d35f..717dd8894 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollection.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollection.java
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractRedisCollection<E> extends AbstractCollection<E> i
 		return key;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public RedisCommands getCommands() {
+		return commands;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public boolean addAll(Collection<? extends E> c) {
 		boolean modified = false;
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/DefaultRedisMap.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/DefaultRedisMap.java
index da3e23ef3..0cfcb03ee 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/DefaultRedisMap.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/DefaultRedisMap.java
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ public class DefaultRedisMap implements RedisMap {
 		return redisKey;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	public RedisCommands getCommands() {
+		return commands;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public void clear() {
 		throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/RedisStore.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/RedisStore.java
index 1d0a64492..72be34d0a 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/RedisStore.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/main/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/RedisStore.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.datastore.redis.util;
 
+import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.RedisCommands;
+
 
 /**
  * Basic interface for Redis-based collections.
@@ -29,4 +31,11 @@ public interface RedisStore {
 	 * @return Redis key
 	 */
 	String getKey();
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the underlying Redis commands used by the backing implementation.
+	 * 
+	 * @return commands
+	 */
+	RedisCommands getCommands();
 }
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollectionTest.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollectionTest.java
index d5b3dcf1f..ddef38e03 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollectionTest.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/AbstractRedisCollectionTest.java
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractRedisCollectionTest<T> {
 
 	@After
 	public void tearDown() throws Exception {
-		collection.clear();
+		// remove the collection entirely since clear() doesn't always work
+		collection.getCommands().del(collection.getKey());
+		//collection.clear();
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractRedisCollectionTest<T> {
 		T t1 = getT();
 		assertThat(collection.add(t1), is(Boolean.TRUE));
 		assertThat(collection, hasItem(t1));
-		assertEquals(collection.size(), 1);
+		assertEquals(1, collection.size());
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -81,8 +83,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractRedisCollectionTest<T> {
 		assertEquals(collection.size(), 3);
 	}
 
-	public void clear() {
+	@Test
+	public void testClear() {
+		T t1 = getT();
+		collection.add(t1);
+		assertEquals(1, collection.size());
 		collection.clear();
+		assertEquals(0, collection.size());
 	}
 
 	public boolean contains(Object o) {
diff --git a/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/StringRedisListTest.java b/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/StringRedisListTest.java
index e44bcbf34..cc523531c 100644
--- a/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/StringRedisListTest.java
+++ b/spring-datastore-redis/src/test/java/org/springframework/datastore/redis/util/StringRedisListTest.java
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ package org.springframework.datastore.redis.util;
 
 import java.util.UUID;
 
-import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.jredis.JredisConnectionFactory;
+import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.RedisCommands;
+import org.springframework.datastore.redis.connection.jedis.JedisConnectionFactory;
 
 
 /**
@@ -30,9 +31,25 @@ public class StringRedisListTest extends AbstractRedisCollectionTest<String> {
 	private DefaultRedisList<String> redisList;
 
 	public StringRedisListTest() {
-		JredisConnectionFactory factory = new JredisConnectionFactory();
+		JedisConnectionFactory factory = new JedisConnectionFactory();
 		factory.afterPropertiesSet();
-		redisList = new DefaultRedisList<String>(getClass().getName(), factory.getConnection());
+		String redisName = getClass().getName();
+		RedisCommands commands = factory.getConnection();
+		redisList = new DefaultRedisList<String>(redisName, commands);
+		
+
+		//		SimpleRedisSerializer serializer = new SimpleRedisSerializer();
+		//		
+		//		String t = getT();
+		//		
+		//		String data = serializer.serializeAsString(t);
+		//		String name = "some-list";
+		//		System.out.println(data);
+		//		commands.lPush(name, data);
+		//		List<String> readData = commands.lRange(name, 0, -1);
+		//		System.out.println(readData);
+		//		System.out.println(serializer.deserialize(readData.get(0)));
+
 	}
 
 	@Override
@@ -45,3 +62,4 @@ public class StringRedisListTest extends AbstractRedisCollectionTest<String> {
 		return UUID.randomUUID().toString();
 	}
 }
+