Just bought my 1st brisket

Personally I like oak or pecan for brisket.  Maybe even a mixture of the two.

Also, brisket holds for a very long time after it's cooked.  If you plan on eating dinner at 6pm you can plan to have a brisket ready at 2 or 3 PM and hold it in your oven or a cooler until it's time to eat.

Congrats on your first brisket, looking forward to seeing the finished product.  

Btw I like cherry and a chunk of hickory with my brisket.  

minniemoh said:

Whatever wood you choose will be just fine. I like to put plenty of wood in - brisket can take a lot of smoke. You probably already have a game plan but my advice would be to start your egg early, even a couple or more hours early, so you have it nice and stable. Just fill it up to the top of the fire ring and you'll have plenty of lump. I like 250-275 for temp. If you get a good stable fire going, you can sit back and enjoy the cook. Just don't stress about it - I did that way too many times when I started smoking brisket. Don't worry about screwing it up, you'll have some fine eating when you're done. Good luck!!!

Three easiest ways to screw up a brisket:

1. Put on on the egg while it is heating up, when (depending on your lump) the lump is puking out bad smoke.  Per @minniemoh, let the temp stabilize first
2. Let your temp get away from you (I am a dirty cheater with a Pit Boss, but vigilance also works)
3. Let it cook too long - When it wobbles, it's done

Good luck

PS - I am an oak or pecan guy for brisket.  I loathe cherry, but use fruit woods for pork

booksw said:

There is so much wisdom on this forum to answer any and all of your questions.  Personally, I would put it on at 11 PM and cook it at 225...  How long it will take is very unpredictable- that's one reason they are the holy grail.  You are far better off having it be done way too early, and your guests eat it at room temp with a warm sauce (delicious) then having hungry guests because you don't understand why the meat still isn't at temp.

Enjoy the journey...

That is exactly why I started going 250-275. It narrows the window for finish time dramatically in my experience. I've had a 12 lber go for 20 hrs at 225. At a slightly higher temp, they seem to be much more predictable at an hour(ish) a pound. The end result has been the same and I don't have to wait as long.

Thickest part of the flat. Don't worry about the temp of the point. There's so much fat in there, that the temp will be higher much sooner than the flat.

but don't make the mistake I made once when I found "probe tender" in the point!  It needs to be "like buttah" in the flat...

These guys are awesome.
The first brisket is basically a learning sacrifice that must be done to help you understand all the variables. If good fortune is with you, you have a delicious meal for many! If not, there are great brisket chili recipes to use.
FWIW, I use a combination of sugar maple and pecan for a good smoke profile. I use fist sized chunks buried throughout the lump, which is loaded to the middle of the fire ring. I do a 225F pit/250ishF dome. I use my own rub, heavily, over the entire untrimmed packer. The probe typically goes in the thickest part of the flat, when it reaches 160F, I cheat! I inject with beef broth then wrap with butcher paper.
The packer is loaded indirect, point towards the rear, fat side down, with the thinnest part of the flat covered in foil, facing the front
With grades of Prime and above, I start probing around 190F. When the flat has zero resistance to the probe I pull, FTC for a couple hours. (I have kept it in FTC mode for 4 hours, and it was still very warm when pulled from cooler) Unwrap, trim the fat off, and serve.
The brisket is done when it is done. The wrap will accelerate (shorten) the cooking time, by a lot. A 16- 20 hour cook becomes a 9-12 hour cook. 
Good luck, have fun, and pace yourself on the adult beverages during the cook.
Just one more thing; my most recent packer, I gave the least attention to, it was the best I ever made. Sometimes it just goes like that.

Man, I'd love to find a $41 prime brisket....

Have patients.  I had stalls of 6-7 hours at 155-160. Are you wrapped/foiled with the temp increase?

If you are at 290*F on the dome you should be good to go.  As you know, foiling will speed up the run to the finish-line but your bark will take a hit.  Just go with the feel in the thickest part of the flat and ride it home.  

Beautiful, I'm drooling.  

You have tasted the blood my brother, you will never quench that hunger for brisket. Welcome to brisket perfection chasing hell. 
Fabulous cook, beautiful presentation. 
When @lousubcap ( the Kentucky ayatollah of brisket ) says you nailed it, you have done very well. Onward!