In a large bowl, add the warm water, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle the active yeast on top, and let sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to start activate. It will begin to foam.
Mix in the flour and olive oil, and stir until a thick dough begins to form, knead with your hands for 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a towel and allow to rest in a warm area for about an hour until the dough doubles in size. I heat my oven for a minute, turn it off, and allow the dough to sit in the warm oven for an hour to rise.
To make the pretzels, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper, and place an oven-safe ramekin in the center. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add in the baking soda.
Pull about 2 tablespoons of dough from the bowl, and roll the dough into a ball with your palms. The balls should be roughly 1 inch in diameter. Set aside until all the balls are formed. Drop the balls of dough, 12 at a time, into the boiling water. Allow to boil for 1 minute. Once boiled, carefully remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and place around the ramekin on the baking sheet, making concentric circles like a wreath. Repeat until all the dough has been boiled.
Bake the pretzel balls and the empty ramekin in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pretzels have browned on top. Remove from oven and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or pretzel salt.
To make the Sweet Herb Mustard Dipping Sauce, add the whole grain mustard, maple syrup, yellow mustard, and Herbs de Provence to a bowl, and mix well to combine. Transfer the sauce to the ramekin and serve!