First Time Smoking a Turkey Breast

[jiman1973]

Ok...so I'm kinda new to the whole "smoker" thing, but I really love how the meats I have tried so far have turned out. I have so far smoked ribs and chicken, and the only thing that keeps me from smoking EVERYTHING I eat is the amount of time it takes!
I have decided that this weekend I'm gonna smoke the turkey breast that has been sitting in my freezer for the last 4 months or so.
Anyone have any helpful tips? I plan to brine it overnight Friday and get it into the smoker on Saturday morning. My usual brine for chicken is just water, salt, onion, and garlic. Not sure if I want to go with that simple recipe for the turkey or if I want to experiment....hmm.
The only wood I have ever smoked with is mesquite, but I was thinking about going with hickory for this one. I love mesquite smoke, but it seems like it would be a little intense for turkey breast. Any wood suggestions?
Finally, I have one of the vertical bullet type smokers with a water pan below the cooking surfaces. Sometimes I have smoked with just water, sometimes I have gone a little more exotic. Smoked ribs and chicken with apple juice in the water pan in the past, and the flavor was amazing. I'm thinking about going with that, but if anyone has any suggestions I would definitely appreciate!
Pictures to follow.

[Truth Detector]

Think fruit.

[ZUL8TR]

Use apple juice for moisture and applewood for smoke.

When I brine turkey, I toss in peppercorns and bundles of herbs such as thyme, sage, etc. For a whole bird, I also stuff the cavity with more herbs and a halved lemon while it cooks.

[cheeseczar]

I do a pretty good chicken on my weber. I also use apple juice on the skin...gives it a beautiful mahagony color.

[badart]

I did a whole chicken this past weekend, no brine just a dry rub with lots of cayenne, garlic, fresh ground pepper, sea salt and fresh sage. Smoked on indirect for 1:30 then on the heat to crisp the skin at the end. I also basted with a mixture of Sriracha, soy sauce, melted butter and a little olive oil. I split the chicken down the breast so it was laying flat on the grate. Turned out great, everyone I served raved about it. Believe it or not, it wasn't all that hot spice wise, just very tasty.

[Disciple]

I agree on the apple brine (basically apple juice and sea salt), and I would not brine for more than 6 hours. I take a final step after brining, and that is the generous use of Rudy's Rub for Poultry and I let that sit for about 2 hours. For smoking, I have begun to love either apple, cherry or pecan wood low and slow to an internal temperature of 165. Hickory, mesquite, etc., have a tendency to be too smoky and not as sweet on a meat like that.

I've done a bunch this summer.

-The Carnivorous and Hungry Disciple of INDYCAR

[jiman1973]

I agree on the apple brine (basically apple juice and sea salt), and I would not brine for more than 6 hours. I take a final step after brining, and that is the generous use of Rudy's Rub for Poultry and I let that sit for about 2 hours. For smoking, I have begun to love either apple, cherry or pecan wood low and slow to an internal temperature of 165. Hickory, mesquite, etc., have a tendency to be too smoky and not as sweet on a meat like that.

I've done a bunch this summer.

-The Carnivorous and Hungry Disciple of INDYCAR

I followed your recipe almost to a tee. Brined the turkey breast in apple juice with salt and some various seasonings last night, and smoked it today. Apple juice in the water pan. Unfortunately, applewood and the other woods you mentioned are a little difficult to find around here, so I got lazy and bought hickory. It was tasty but WOW that is an intense smoke flavor for turkey. Next time I'm using the same recipe (apple juice for the win!!!) but I'm gonna go somewhere other than the commisary to find some good wood, because yowza....that was strong.

Thanks everyone for the advice!