The Ethanol Recovery System is a cost-effective, proven technology using a counter flow water wash system to remove ethanol from vented gas. The application of structured stainless steel packing ensures an efficient gas-water contact time and a minimal pressure drop. By re-circulating chilled scrub water over the packing, ethanol is concentrated up to 15% v/v with reduced water consumption. The recovered ethanol is concentrated up to 15% v/v so that scrubber bottoms are pumped directly to the beerwell feeding the distillation columns (instead of recycling it back to upstream processes) thus breaking the ethanol loop.