Mix the beer and ½ cup water together and heat to 100-110 degrees or the temperature listed on the yeast package. In a mixing bowl, pour in the warm beer and water mixture with sugar and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit until it turns foamy, about five to 10 minutes.

If using a stand mixer, add the flour and ¼ cup melted butter to the beer and yeast mixture and use the paddle attachment on low speed to combine into a shaggy dough. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Turn the speed up one notch to speed two and knead until smooth and elastic. This should take about four minutes. If kneading by hand, stir in the flour and butter with the beer and yeast mixture in the mixing bowl until it becomes a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. 

Remove the dough from the bowl, lightly oil it, place the dough back in the bowl and cover. Allow to sit in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough just about doubles in size.

Divide the dough into 20 equal balls. Keep the dough balls in a mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Flatten one dough ball at a time into a disk, about 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter. Spoon 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce onto the flatten pretzel dough and a cube of Brie on top of the cranberry sauce. Fold edges like a present. Pinch the seams and roll in between your palms to make sure the dough ball is well-sealed. Repeat for all dough balls. Keep the filled dough balls in another mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap to also prevent them from drying out. 

Heat the oven to 450 degrees and boil 10 cups water with baking soda. 

Check the dough balls to make sure they're still sealed. Drop the sealed pretzel dough balls into the boiling water and baking soda for 30 seconds. Move to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Whisk an egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush it over the boiled pretzel dough balls. Sprinkle with salt. 

Bake until the pretzels turn golden, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and lightly brush with remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter. If the butter brushes off any salt, you can always add more if you'd like. Enjoy!

In a small bowl, combine mustard, honey and orange zest. Stir until combined.

Serve as a dipping sauce with the pretzel bites.