Abstract: A process for continuously producing an anhydrous methyl acetate/methanol mixture by esterifying acetic acid and methanol in the presence of an acidic esterification catalyst is indicated, which comprises carrying out the esterification in a distillation column having n=20 to 50 distillation trays,a) the acetic acid being fed together with the catalyst to a distillation tray which is at a distance of 0.5 n to 0.8 n from the still bottom,b) feeding 50 to 80% by weight of the total methanol to the still bottom and the remaining methanol to a distillation tray which is 2 to 10 trays above the acetic acid feed tray,c) feeding methanol and acetic acid into the distillation column at a molar ratio of (1.5 to 3):1,d) setting a reflux ratio of (0.75 to 1.5):1,e) taking off the anhydrous methyl acetate/methanol mixture at the top of the column andf) a water/methanol/acetic acid bottom product with the catalyst from the still bottom.