SOUTH African Breweries has held talks with Bass over acquiring its brewing business, estimated to be worth 1,8-billion, the Sunday Telegraph said. Bass Brewers produces Carling, Britain’s biggest selling beer, and would give SAB a quarter of the UK beer market. The report said SAB is likely to face stiff competition from its rival Heineken NV. Analysts are expecting Bass and Britain’s other two top brewers, Scottish and Newcastle Plc and Whitbread Plc, to become increasingly caught up in global industry consolidation talk.