Heat beer and butter in a small saucepan to 110-115 degrees and remove from heat. Add yeast and stir until dissolved.

Attach the dough hook to a stand mixer. Add 3 cups of flour, brown sugar, salt, and the yeast mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth, adding enough flour in 1/2 cup portions until a soft but sticky ball forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled.

About midway through the rising time, preheat oven to 425 degrees, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, and bring water and baking soda to a rolling boil.

Once the dough is doubled, punch down dough and turn onto floured surface and divide into 12-3 oz balls of dough.

Working with one 3 oz ball of dough at a time, roll into an ~18 inch rope, rolling one end out into a thin tail, leaving the other end thicker for the head of the snake.

Coil rope into snake shapes and place on a large spatula.

Gently lower the spatula containing the snake dough into the boiling water, ensuring that the dough does not come off the spatula. Let the pretzel cook for 30 seconds.

Gently lift the spatula and pretzel out of the water and carefully transfer it to a paper towel to drain.

Once drained, flip the dough into your hand and then place the pretzel on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining balls of dough.

Place 5-6 boiled snakes, at least two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Use a chopstick to poke eye holes into the dough.

Add pink or black peppercorns into the eye holes and press into the dough so that they stay put while baking.

Optional: Cut small strips of dried chile and notch out a forked tongue, trim to size, then add to the mouth of a snake pretzel.

Brush egg wash over pretzels and sprinkle generously with coarse salt.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack and serve with mustard.