Microcalorimetric and infrared studies of ethanol and acetaldehyde adsorption were carried out on fresh and deactivated ZnO-supported cobalt catalysts (Co/ZnO and Co/ZnO(d), respectively) as well as on ZnO support alone. The results were used to analyze the catalytic behavior of these materials for ethanol and acetaldehyde steam-reforming reactions. The Co/ZnO(d) sample contained extensive carbon deposition as shown by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. On fresh Co/ZnO, the adsorption energetics of ethanol and acetaldehyde (an intermediate in the ethanol reforming reaction) were similar. Under steam-reforming conditions at low conversion values of ethanol, acetaldehyde was selectively yielded. The presence of surface acetate species was shown from IR spectra following acetaldehyde adsorption. Besides that, the Co/ZnO catalyst was active and showed a high selectivity toward the reforming products, H-2 and CO2, when the steam reforming of acetaldehyde was carried out at low conversion values. In contrast, on the:deactivated sample, the strongest adsorption sites of ethanol have disappeared, and acetaldehyde was adsorbed with higher energy with respect to ethanol, resulting in the blockage of the active sites; a poorer catalytic performance in both ethanol and acetaldehyde steam-reforming reactions is observed. The presence of acetate species after adsorption of acetaldehyde on Co/ZnO(d) was not shown. The polymerization of acetaldehyde over Co/ZriO-(d) was related to the decomposition of acetaldehyde under reforming conditions to give CO and CH4.