This　article　describes　a　novel　method　to　dealuminate　and　realuminate　H-beta　zeolites　as　catalysts　for　removing　organic　acids　from　bio-oils　via　their　esterification　reactions　with　alcohols.　Modified　H-beta　zeolites　were　prepared　by　leaching　with　solutions　of　oxalic　acid,　dl-malic　acid,　and　dl-tartaric　acid　that　have　different　numbers　of　hydroxyl　groups.　The　results　showed　that,　while　all　three　organic　acids　can　dealuminate　the　parent　H-beta　zeolite,　with　Al(vi)a　atoms　and　Al(iv)c　ones　being　preferentially　removed,　they　show　quite　different　realumination　abilities,　with　tartaric　acid　with　two　hydroxyl　groups　having　the　highest　realumination　ability.　The　concomitance　of　dealumination　and　realumination　and　their　dependence　on　the　hydroxyl　group　numbers　of　the　organic　acids　provide　the　possibility　of　finely　tuning　the　Al　and　acidity　distributions　of　the　resulting　zeolites.　Among　the　three　acid　treated　H-beta　zeolites,　the　one　obtained　from　malic　acid　leaching　exhibited　the　best　performance　in　catalyzing　the　esterification　reaction　between　acetic　acid　and　sec-butyl　alcohol,　attributed　to　its　suitable　quantity　and　density　of　medium　and　strong　Brönsted　acid　sites　and　enhanced　aluminum　gradient.　The　catalytic　results　obtained　in　a　fixed-bed　microreactor　revealed　that　the　malic　acid　leached　H-beta　exhibited　dramatically　enhanced　catalytic　performance　compared　to　the　commercial　ion-exchange　resin　Amberlyst®　15,　demonstrating　great　potential　for　industrial　application.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　2017.