Derivative Instruments - Assets And Liabilities (Details)	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($) bu gal	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Cash collateral (restricted cash)	$ 178,766
Derivative Assets, Current	357,436	$ 1,228,926
Derivative Liabilities, Current	$ 7,813
Corn Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	2,050,000
Corn Contracts \| Long position
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	1,325,000
Corn Contracts \| Short position
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	725,000
Ethanol Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| gal	2,940,000
Granite Falls Energy, LLC
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Due to a broker related to margin requirements	$ 197,000
Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Due to a broker related to margin requirements	218,000
Cash collateral (restricted cash)	$ 179,000
Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Corn Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	3,315,000
Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Corn Contracts \| Long position
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	1,200,000
Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Corn Contracts \| Short position
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| bu	2,115,000
Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Ethanol Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Total nonmonetary notional amount outstanding \| gal	2,940,000
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets, Current	$ 357,436	1,228,926
Derivative Liabilities, Current	7,813
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments \| Granite Falls Energy, LLC \| Corn Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets, Current		63,050
Derivative Liabilities, Current	7,813
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments \| Granite Falls Energy, LLC \| Ethanol Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets, Current	146,843	503,538
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments \| Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Corn Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets, Current	60,813	388,525
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments \| Heron Lake BioEnergy, LLC \| Ethanol Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Assets, Current	$ 149,780	$ 273,813

The amount due to a broker related to commodity derivative insstrument positions held by a broker.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, expected to be settled within one year or normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset, expected to be settled within one year or normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

Nominal volume used to calculate payments on a derivative instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
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