Heat the milk until it reaches 110 F (43 C).
Pour the milk into the mixer bowl, equipped with a hook, and sprinkle the yeast.
Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes, and mix in 1 cup (125 g) of flour with a wooden spoon.
Add the butter and beer to the mixture.
Gradually add the remaining flour and salt to obtain a sticky dough.

Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, and no longer sticks to your fingers, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
Let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
Take a piece of dough and shape it into a long rope by rolling it under the palm of your hand.
Take each end in one hand, bringing them together in the middle to form a knot, and attach the two ends to the sides.

Preheat the oven to 425 F (210 C).
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
Roll and stretch each piece into a 30″ (75 cm) rope with the palm of your hand.

Shape each rope into a bretzel shape…Start by shaping a U, then twist the two ends once, and fold the two points onto the rounded U.

Heat the water, salt, and baking soda. The water should not boil and should be just simmering.
Soak the bretzels in the water for 20 seconds and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
You will need to reshape the bretzels into their original form.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Brush them with melted butter when they come out of the oven.