Good morning, I do brine or marinade my brisket. I like to taste just the flavor of the meat. I have a Reverse Flow/ charcoal & wood I smoke at 225º the briskets I get are whole packers usually from Sam's. While my smoker is coming up to temp I will trim up my brisket so the fat cap is pretty uniform in thickness try to keep it about 1/4 " once trimmed up I rub it down with course ground black pepper and salt, (that's just me keeping it simple) you can use any rub you like (I have tried a lot of them) Once the smoker is ready I put on my brisket and let it go for 5 to 6 hours and spritzing every so often with apple juice or a 50/50 apple juice and vinegar . I pull it off and wrap it in butcher paper, back on the smoker till done usually another 5 to 6 plus hours. When done I leave it wrapped in the paper then wrap it in a couple old towels (Don't use your wife's good towels) that place it in my cooler for at least and hour (longer if you need to) (waiting on guests) Pull it out slice it up and you will have tender juicy brisket with a great smoke ring. I use Pecan, Hickory, Oak and sometimes fruit wood when I can get them. Just allow plenty of time, try to maintain a consistent 225º and should turn out fine. Be sure and check your temp gauge to make sure it is reading correctly.
Good luck
Gary S