Zeolitic catalytic conversion of alcohols to hydrocarbons

A method for converting an alcohol to a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds useful as a fuel or as a blendstock component of a fuel, the method comprising contacting said alcohol with a metal-loaded zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 100° C. and up to 550° C., wherein said alcohol can be produced by a fermentation process and is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, butanol, isobutanol, and combinations thereof and is a component of an aqueous solution in a concentration of no more than about 20%, said metal is a positively-charged metal ion, and said metal-loaded zeolite catalyst is catalytically active for converting said alcohol to said mixture of hydrocarbon compounds, wherein said mixture of hydrocarbon compounds contains hydrocarbon compounds containing at least four carbon atoms, and at least a portion of said hydrocarbon compounds containing at least four carbon atoms are alkanes, wherein said mixture of hydrocarbon compounds substantially corresponds to a fuel selected from gasoline, kerosene, diesel, and jet propellant.