A French press is a circular wire-mesh filter plunged into a cylindrical jug. Coffee is made by pouring boiling water over the coarsely ground coffee beans and waiting for the water to percolate through. A cold press, on the other hand, requires you to mix water and coffee grounds together at a ratio of 4:1. Then cover the brewing container for three hours or overnight in a refrigerator. Afterward, strain the coffee mixture through a filter into a serving container.