The heat effects associated with the adsorption and subsequent desorption processes of butanol from n-hexane as well as from other solvents on a number of sorbents are studied by microcalorimetry. Different possible mechanisms of the adsorption process are considered in order to explain the experimentally observed differences between the heats of adsorption and desorption. It is shown that our data support the idea of association affected adsorption. It is also argued that the adsorption process is likely to occur in two steps. Our hypothesis has been supported by the measurements of adsorption and desorption heat effects from solvents that hinder alcohol association. A simple theoretical explanation of the observed heat effects has been proposed.