The kinetics of alcoholic fermentation of a strain of Zymomonas mobilis, isolated from sugarcane juice, has been studied with the objective of determining the constants of a non-structured mathematical model that represents the fermentation process. Assays in batch and in continuous culture have been carried out with different initial concentrations of glucose. The final concentrations of glucose, ethanol and biomass were determined. The following kinetic parameters were obtained : mu(max), 0.5 h(-1); K-s, 4.64 g dm(-3); P-max, 106 g dm(-3); Y-x/s, 0.0265 g g(-1); m, 1.4 g g(-1) h(-1); alpha, 17.38 g g(-1); beta, 0.69 g g(-1) h(-1).