In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
Mix flour, brown sugar, and table salt in a mixer. Add yeast mixture and one tablespoon melted butter and stir with dough hook.
Add up to ¼ cup of additional flour one tablespoon at a time until you can touch the dough without it sticking to your fingers. Knead with the mixer on low for 8 minutes.
Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour.
While dough is rising, prepare soda water bath by mixing 2 ¼ cups of water with baking soda in a small saucepan.
Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil.
Punch dough down and form into a ball. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Keep the pieces that you aren’t working with covered with the damp cloth to avoid drying out. Roll each piece into a 24 inch snake and form into a pretzel shape.
Heat baking soda and water to a boil and reduce heat to low. One at a time, place the pretzel into the soda bath for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spatula and blot excess water on a tea towel. Place pretzel on prepared baking sheets.
Brush pretzels with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 400℉ for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.