In May 1987, a European Court of Justice ruling led to the Reinheitsgebot being lifted, allowing ingredients beyond what is listed in the Biergesetz; this meant that anything allowed in other foods was thus also allowed in beer. The ingredient requirements have since been moved from the Biersteuergesetz into the regular food additives laws, though beer brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot receive special treatment as a protected, “traditional” food.

Most German breweries continued to comply with the Biergesetz, often claiming compliance with the Reinheitsgebot even when it is patently incorrect (for example, for wheat beers, which were prohibited by the Reinheitsgebot), using this compliance as a valuable marketing tool.

So it looks like the rule has been out of commission since the 80’s. Long live rice beer.

Actually, not true anymore. According to an actual German dude, this law became null and void when they joined the EU. That is why you can now buy bottles of fruity beer mixtures, the Boones Farm of Germany.