Looks awesome! Snake method is my preference for just about everything I do low & slow in a kettle. Takes time to set up properly, but pays off with how low maintenance it is. For steady temps around 275, I do a 2x2 snake with small chunks of wood on top. I usually put a few bricks or empty charcoal baskets around the inside of the snake for a heat shield and to lend a little stability to the briquettes. Light about 10 coals in a small chimney to start the snake, give it about 15-20 to bring the kettle up to temp, throw on the meat with iGrill probes & forget about it. (Oh, who am I kidding, I obsess over the ambient & internal temps every cook, but I know full-well I don’t really need to.)
Just used this setup for a couple 10lb. pork butts for the 4th. Put ‘em on in the morning, took the family swimming at a friend’s lake nearby until mid afternoon, and returned to a steady 275 ambient temp. Makes me rarely want to use my big smoker.
-Jed