The food at our barbecue yesterday was a big hit.  I've modified the Brisket recipe to include notes on cooking it ahead of time as well as my new favorite sauce recipe.  I also made the Amber Ale Beans a day ahead and heated them in the microwave before serving - they were probably even better than serving them right after they were made.

I'd make both of these recipes again, and would definitely do the bulk of the work the day before.