Spot on. I agree. I am a big BBQ guy. In fact, I BBQ about 4-5x every week. That's right! 70% of my meals are cooked on the grill or BBQ using charcoal/wood.
I used to love gas in apt living, but once I went old school, I never went back to gas. Gas is only good for grilling burgers and steaks. I can get that same flavor on my stovetop. With charcoal/wood, you can BBQ low and slow. With gas, you really can't cook low and slow because the gas grills suck up more moisture and the food usually comes out dryer.
Charcoal grills are usually eyesores, so if you're a image freak, stainless is your best bet. But to me, it would be just furniture. If you're not into the veneer, then I suggest the Char-Griller 5050. That's right, Char-Griller. I personally use the Char-griller for all my exterior cooking. They make fantastic grills, aimed at the home-BBQer.
They started out with the basic cylinder model, with a modular fire box attachment. They have a new product, and it's currently being sold at Lowes.
The 5050! This one has the gas and the BBQ. So you have everything you need to really experiment with low and slow or have a quick grill on gas. As a home brewer, you might find BBQ'ing as fun as brewing, and just as time-consuming. Mild warning with C-Grillers: they are screwed together pretty simply, so they may appear not as sturdy if not properly tightened up, making it feel wobbly. Don't be fooled. A good ratchet will tighten it up. They make great products for entry/intermediate level, and they sell mods/parts for all their grills.
I am on my second Char-griller spanning 10 years, and I still have the same firebox from day 1.