It means the brewery will continue as a second level sponsor of the IBU World Cup for the 2017-2018 season.

As part of the deal, reported to cost €1.5 million (£1.3 million/$1.8 million) per year, Erdinger receives exposure through television coverage of the World Cup.

Its alcohol-free product is particularly advertised, with the winners of races sometimes presented with a glass to celebrate with.

"As a public magnet, sport offers the ideal conditions for anchoring our brand emotionally to the viewer," said Werner Brombach, the owner of Erdinger, to Sponsors.

The new World Cup season, which begins in November, will be particularly key for athletes as they prepare for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in February.

Erdinger has also worked with individual biathletes.

These include Vanessa Hinz, Lukas Hofer, Erik Lesser, Franziska Preuß and Simon Schempp.

Andreas Birnbacher, Michael Greis and Magdalena Neuner have worked as ambassadors for the brewery.