A hydrothermal synthesis method for beta zeolite preparation using kaolin as the sole alumina source was investigated. This approach provided a choice to manufacture zeolite beta with a low cost alumina source. The zeolite P samples were characterized by XRD, IR, SEM, XRF, DSC, and BET surface area measurements. Tunable crystallinity, higher meso- or macroporosity, higher thermal stability, and more Bronsted type acid sites of zeolite beta can be obtained by properly controlling the synthesis conditions using this system. The catalytic evaluation results indicated that zinc-loaded zeolite beta is a good potential FCC naphtha aromatization catalyst. The kaolin derived, 2 wt% zinc-loaded Zn-beta(2) showed higher aromatic yields and better product distribution compared with that of the reference Zn-beta catalyst; it also provided an aromatics yield of 42.26 wt%, which increased by 22.62 wt% compared with the feedstock.