Non-noble metal(s) loaded mesoporous catalysts are one of the promising catalysts for aqueous phase hydrodeoxygenation of lignin derived phenols to hydrocarbons. Ni/Al-SBA-15 was prepared through incipient wetness impregnation method in this paper. The effect of incipient wetness impregnation solvent on nickel dispersion of Ni/Al-SBA-15 was investigated. The materials were characterized by XRD,N2-sorption, TEM, FTIR, Py-FTIR, XRF, ICP-MS and H2-chemisorption. The catalytic activity of eugenol hydrodeoxygenation in aqueous phase was studied. In compared with the traditional incipient wetness impregnation using water as solvent, nickel dispersion on Al-SBA-15 was improved significantly using ethanol as solvent during the process of incipient wetness impregnation. The quantity of total acid was decreased after loading of nickel which was mainly caused by the decrease of Lewis acid sites. Meanwhile, the strength of Lewis acid in Ni/Al-SBA-15-E was enhanced and the yield of propyl cyclohexane and propylbenzene of eugenol hydrodeoxygeation in aqueous phase over Ni/Al-SBA-15-E was increased. The super catalytic behavior of Ni/Al-SBA-15-E was attributed to the synergistic effect between the stronger Lewis acid sites and the corresponding higher nickel dispersion.