Trim the sprouts, and slice the base off (it's usually very "knobby"). Cut the sprouts in half and set aside.
Heat a pot of water to boiling on the stove. Par-beach the sprouts - dump them in the pot for 3 minutes. Then plunge in an ice bath. Drain.
Divide the peppercorns mustard seeds, garlic cloves, bay leaves and crushed pepper between two pint jars.,
Pack the sprouts in each jar evenly.
In the same saucepan that you par-blanched the sprouts, combine the vinegar, water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Divide the brine between the two jars. Use a wooden chopstick to remove the air bubbles.
Wipe the rims. Apply the lids and rings. If desired, process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (timer starts once the water begins to boil; water must cover jars by at least 1" or more).
When time is up, remove jars from canner. Allow to cool on a folded towel.