PURPOSE: To recover methanol and phenol at a low cost, by separating and recovering methanol of purity above 95% at the initial stage of distillation, and shifting phasic equlibrium by lowering the concentration of methanol and cooling methanol.

CONSTITUTION: A column 2 packed with cotton, glass wool or the like is connected to a reacting caldron 1, and a condenser 3 and a circulating pipe 11 are connected to the packed column 2. To a change-over valve 5, a methanol recovering vessel 6 and a phenol recovering vessel 7 are connected by a branched pipe. A cooler 8 is provided between the change-over valve 5 and the phenol recovering vessel 7, and a coolant is circulated through the cooler 8. The condensation product of phenol resin and condensed water formed in the preparation of phenol resin are accumulated in the reacting caldron 1, and the condensed water is treated as a waste liquid.