In a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, and yeast to 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Let the bowl stand about 5 minutes to allow the yeast to activate. It should bubble.
Add the flour and melted butter and mix until completely combined.
If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can mix on low for 5 minutes. Otherwise, drop the dough on a smooth surface and knead for 7-10 minutes (trust me, it's not hard).
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for an hour. The dough should roughly double in size.
After it the dough has risen, preheat the over to 450F and start boiling the 10 cups of water in a large stock pot. Once you have a rolling boil, add the 2/3 cup baking soda. Prepare a baking sheet with a silpat, or very lightly oiled parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into 16 inch ropes. The dough is very elastic, so it will tend to shrink a few inches as soon as you stop rolling it out - that's normal.
To make a traditional pretzel, take the rope and form a 'U' shape. Twist the ends twice, then fold them back down onto the base of the 'U'.
To make pretzel bites, take the 16" ropes and cut into 2" sections.
For the traditional pretzels, lower them carefully into the boiling water with a spatula. They will sink initially, but float up to the surface after 15-20 seconds. Let them boil for about 45 seconds then lift them out with a spatula, and move them to the baking sheet. If you are making pretzel bites, you can add 8-10 at a time. I like to use a large slotted spoon to scoop them out.
Brush the egg yolk on the tops of the pretzels, then sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the top (use as much as you'd like).
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until you get a nice brown exterior.
Serve warm with a cold beer and a nice cheesy dipping sauce.