Process for producing alcohol

A process for producing an alcohol which comprises:

• continuously feeding a starting material selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid ester and a fatty acid with hydrogen into a fixed bed reactor in which a hydrogenation catalyst is packed, hydrogen being fed at about 20 to 300 bar and the starting material being fed in such a manner as to give a molar ratio of hydrogen to the fatty acid group of the starting material of from about 5:1 to about 500:1;
• passing the starting material and hydrogen through the hydrogenation catalyst in descending parallel flows;
• and then
• recovering the alcohol,
• wherein said reactor is provided with at least one cooling means for cooling the reaction system at a position in the vertical direction thereof and a temperature of a second zone in said reactor where a conversion ratio of the starting material exceeds about 60% is controlled to 100.degree. to 220.degree. C. by said cooling means, provided that a maximum temperature of a first zone in said reactor which precedes said second zone and where a conversion ratio of the starting material is about 60% or below is 150.degree. to 300.degree. C. and is at least 10.degree. c. higher than a minimum temperature of said second zone in said reactor where the conversion ratio exceeds about 60%, and that a minimum temperature of said first zone where the conversion ratio of the starting material is about 60% or below is higher than said minimum temperature of said second zone, where the conversion ratio of the starting material exceeds about 60%, wherein a content of hydrocarbon by-products in said recovered alcohol is controlled to about 0.5% by weight or below, a content of aldehyde by-products in said recovered alcohol is controlled to 30 ppm or less, and a content of carbon monoxide in an excess hydrogen gas from the reactor is controlled to 1,000 ppm or less.