I very much dislike mesquite for anything.....nothing but apple, cherry, maple, hickory or white oak for my smoking. Sweet Baby Rays is fake sauce, go for Stubbs if you want authentic store bought sauce or Buckeye BBQ sauce. Brisket is very temperamental to smoke, and it is best if eaten in the same day. Injecting brisket with peach juice is most excellent, and keep the dry rub simple. If you want the best beef that can be smoked, look no further than Tri-tip "trust me". No need for a smoker unless you want to spend money, I mostly use my Webber charcoal grill with corner charcoal/wood box. The air and heat control is fantastic, and I am also not a fan of thermometers. Practice....practice...practice and experiment. Smoking whole chickens is some of the best advice I can give noobs to smoking, hard to fuck them up too. I am not talking out my ass, I have been smoking for years. Drinking cold adult beverages are always best when waiting for the meat, and try pure maple syrup for basting ribs.........oh yeah.