When beer get over 10% its considered Barley wine, at these levels it will kick you A$$. I made the fatal mistake of trying to drink one of them by myself once, woke up the next morning "FDC" face down in carpet, looked up and there was still 1/2 the bottle sitting on the table. I did have a few others before attempting this foolish endeavor, but I think I'll stick to drinking it in shots.
So that is why I don't remember drinking barley wines usually.
But I did remember this:
"Here's Little sir John in the nut-brown bowl
And brandy in the glass
But Little Sir John in the nut-brown bowl's
Proved the stronger man at last
For the hunts man he can't hunt the fox
Nor so loudly blow his horn
And the tinker, he can't mend Kettles or pots
Without a little of Sir John Barleycorn."