Japanese sake is manufactured via the moromi (fermentation mash)-filtration process using filter cloths. We measured volatile compounds accumulated in used filter cloths and detected many esters, including fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), suggesting that filter cloths adsorb esters from sake. The profile of volatile compounds trapped in filter cloths differed depending on the material. Moreover, we demonstrated that medium and long-chain FAEEs, but not fatty acids (FAs), were decreased in the initial period of practical automatic pressing. These results indicated that medium and long-chain FAEEs are likely to be adsorbed to filter cloths made of polyethylene terephthalate, which is generally used in automatic pressing. The ratio of FAs to FAEEs with 8 and 10 carbons increased after automatic pressing. This is possibly one reason why organoleptic properties are changed after moromi-filtration.