Dry hopping already boiled hops

I once tried this on a Christmas ale and it worked pretty well.

Pour the boiled hops out from the hop bag and into the fermenter and let those hops sit in there the whole time all the way through fermentation and then right into the keg. Came out nice and spicey for the winter warmer.

Would this work for other ales? Would "dry hopping" (not really) spent hops add IBUs? I would think not, but I wanted to get some advice.

Cistercian said:

Would this work for other ales? Would "dry hopping" (not really) spent hops add IBUs? I would think not, but I wanted to get some advice.

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Dry hopping (or wet hopping, I imagine) doesn't ever add IBUs. If you check out your brewing software, for instance, when you add the hops into the secondary they don't boost the IBU level. This is because hops must be boiled for the alpha acids to be released into solution. Dry hopping does, however, provide hop aroma and some flavor. But it won't add bitterness.

I'm surprised it worked for the warmer. I like being surprised.