When Simon Schempp, a biathlete on the German Olympic team, was training for the Pyeongchang Games, he often capped a hard day on the trail with a bottle of nonalcoholic beer. He enjoys the taste of beer like most Germans, who drink more of it per capita than the people of almost any other nation. But he drank the nonalcoholic variety for more than just the flavor.
“It’s a really good drink directly after training or after competition,” said Schempp, who won a silver medal in the 15-kilometer mass start event on Sunday.
Schempp’s sober assessment is popular in Germany.