Pyrolytic lignin can be transformed to liquid transportation fuels by hydrotreatment, which requires hydrogen (H2). Bio‐oil is a suitable renewable feedstock for H2 production. Here, n‐butanol was chosen as a model compound representing alcohols in the bio‐oil aqueous fraction. H2 production from steam reforming of n‐butanol was investigated in a fixed‐bed reactor using a commercial Ni/hydrotalcite catalyst. A plausible reaction pathway in the presence of Ni was discussed. An increase in reforming temperature, space time, and steam/carbon ratio in the feed enhanced the n‐butanol conversion and H2 yield. Reaction kinetics was studied in the defined chemical control regime. The reaction order with respect to n‐butanol (one) and the activation energy were determined.