Unlike phenols, alcohols are easily protonated.

Explanation

In alchols. The electron releasing inductive effect (+ effect) of the alkyl group attched to the carbon having the -OH group increases the electron density on te oxygen atom. Therefore, alcohols are easily protonated.
`R- overset(* *) underset(* *)O-R+H^(+) hArr R-underset("Protonated alcohol") underset(H) underset(|) overset(* *^(+))O-H`
On the other hand in the case of phenol, the oxygen atom acequire are partial positive cahrge due to resonance. Thus, it is not protonated.