re: Please critique my brisket process for a heavy bark

I think you're wrapping too soon. At 150-160, you're just entering the stall (evaporative cooling = literal meat sweats), so the bark will likely wash away or not adhere as well during your wrap at that temp. I lean towards wrapping at the back end of the stall or the beginning of true fat rendering.
My base rub is equal kosher salt and coarse pepper, by weight not volume, with a few additional ingredients.
For me, briskets are done when they are probe tender in the center of the flat, about where the end of the point rests on top of the flat, and a squeeze test on different parts of the flat. Never rely on set time or temperature for brisket doneness.

Thanks all for this great info. I look forward to incorporating it into my next smoke.

Unfortunately, my father in law decided that he wanted to cook it instead. He’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer about six months ago and I didn’t want to break his spirit regarding his way of cooking the brisket. I gave him slight hints but he apparently didn’t utilize them.
And it was a disaster. Somehow he made a combo of corned beef and pot roast. As far as I can tell, he left too much fat to start but the execution was rough. Cooked the whole thing in an aluminum pan and wrapped at 135. Pulled around 210 maybe. It was a mushy mess. Couldn’t slice it less than an inch thick without it falling to pieces.

Anyway, he’s been drinking all day and thinks it’s the greatest ever. Then he asks me to agree with him. I do.
Can’t keep a man from his joy.

Just tough to watch a fine piece of meat get turned into potted meat.