Dissolve your yeast in your warm water in a large bowl. Stir together for about 1 minute until mostly combined.
Add in your salt, brown sugar and butter and stir everything together.
Add in your flour, 1 cup at a time until dough is thick and no longer sticky. Add more flour 1 TBS at a time if needed to make sure dough isn't sticky. (Poke dough with your finger, and dough should bounce back - then it is ready)
Lightly flour a flat surface.
Knead your dough for 3 minutes and form into a ball.
Oil a large bowl with nonstick spray and place dough in. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm area.
Allow dough ball to rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the pot.
Cut your dough into twelve pieces. (I did fourths, then thirds).
Roll each section into long ropes about 20-22 inches long.
Bring the two ends of the rope up toward each other then twist them around each other.
Fold the top back down onto the round part at the bottom to make a pretzel shape. Press the ends into the bottom.
Drop the pretzels carefully into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds each.
Remove from water with a slotted spatula and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone liner.
Sprinkle the tops with coarse sea salt.
Place 6 on each baking sheet.
Bake for 12-18 minutes until the pretzels are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and enjoy warm.