| Schedule of Financial Date for Operating Segments | 
    |   | 
  | 
    Three Months Ended
    March 31, | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
    2017 | 
  | 
  | 
    2016 | 
  | 
 
    | Net Sales: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Net sales to external customers | 
  | 
    $ | 
243,075 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
229,241 | 
  | 
 
    | Intersegment net sales | 
  | 
      | 
310 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
– | 
  | 
 
    | Total production segment
    net sales | 
  | 
      | 
243,385 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
229,241 | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Net sales to external customers | 
  | 
      | 
143,265 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
113,132 | 
  | 
 
    | Intersegment net sales | 
  | 
      | 
1,837 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
2,016 | 
  | 
 
    | Total
    marketing and distribution segment net sales | 
  | 
      | 
145,102 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
115,148 | 
  | 
 
    | Net sales including intersegment activity | 
  | 
      | 
388,487 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
344,389 | 
  | 
 
    | Intersegment eliminations | 
  | 
      | 
(2,147 | 
) | 
  | 
      | 
(2,016 | 
) | 
 
    | Net sales, as reported | 
  | 
    $ | 
386,340 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
342,373 | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Cost
    of goods sold: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production | 
  | 
    $ | 
250,587 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
236,008 | 
  | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution | 
  | 
      | 
143,676 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
109,297 | 
  | 
 
    | Intersegment eliminations | 
  | 
      | 
(2,150 | 
) | 
  | 
      | 
(4,001 | 
) | 
 
    | Cost of goods sold, as reported | 
  | 
    $ | 
392,113 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
341,304 | 
  | 
 
    | 
   
Income
                                         (loss) before benefit for income taxes: 
 | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production | 
  | 
    $ | 
(12,315 | 
) | 
  | 
    $ | 
(17,322 | 
) | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution | 
  | 
      | 
150 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
3,969 | 
  | 
 
    | Corporate activities | 
  | 
      | 
(1,320 | 
) | 
  | 
      | 
127 | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
    $ | 
(13,485 | 
) | 
  | 
    $ | 
(13,226 | 
) | 
 
    | Depreciation
    and amortization: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production | 
  | 
    $ | 
8,847 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
8,415 | 
  | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution | 
  | 
      | 
– | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
3 | 
  | 
 
    | Corporate activities | 
  | 
      | 
263 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
233 | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
    $ | 
9,110 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
8,651 | 
  | 
 
    | Interest
    expense: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production | 
  | 
    $ | 
1,092 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
5,900 | 
  | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution | 
  | 
      | 
308 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
333 | 
  | 
     
    | Corporate activities | 
  | 
      | 
1,237 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
– | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
    $ | 
2,637 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
6,233 | 
  | 
 
 
  
 | 
| Schedule of Assets by Operating Segments | 
    |   | 
  | 
    March 31, 2017 | 
  | 
  | 
    December 31, 2016 | 
  | 
 
    | Total
    assets: | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
  | 
  | 
 
    | Ethanol production | 
  | 
    $ | 
535,200 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
542,688 | 
  | 
 
    | Marketing and distribution | 
  | 
      | 
130,094 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
146,356 | 
  | 
 
    | Corporate assets | 
  | 
      | 
16,460 | 
  | 
  | 
      | 
19,194 | 
  | 
 
    |   | 
  | 
    $ | 
681,754 | 
  | 
  | 
    $ | 
708,238 | 
  | 
 
 
 |