Don’t buy the froth: Beer deal may sour

There may be a bit too much head on SABMiller shares.

The Londonbased brewer of Miller Lite, Coors and Blue Moon has seen its share price soar 28 percent since it was reported on Sept. 16 that AnheuserBusch InBev was putting together a $100 billionplus offer for the company — closing Monday on the London Stock Exchange at 3,764 pence ($57).

But SAB Chairman Jan du Plessis and his management team are leaning toward fighting the expected ABI takeover bid, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told The Post.

Under British takeover law, ABI has until Oct. 14 to make a committed offer — or walk away for at least six months.

Du Plessis has a history of successfully rejecting offers. As chairman of Rio Tinto Group last year, the executive spurned a $160 billion takeover bid from Glencore. He presently chairs both Rio Tinto and SABMiller.

“SAB is gearing up to fight,” a second source, a food executive, added. “This is far from an easy deal.”

Meanwhile, ABI has decided internally not to go hostile, and to only make an offer SAB is prepared to accept, the source said.

That’s not to say a merger will not be signed.

There is a 60 percent chance ABI makes a committed offer for SAB that will be rich enough for SAB to accept, the source with direct knowledge of the situation said.

Analysts believe that, at a midprice range, a deal will be at 4,240 pence a share ($64.41), 13 percent higher that the stock’s closing price Monday.

3G Capital (which controls ABI) and SAB declined comment._