diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 73296b2368..155b9519a7 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 # Build the manager binary
-FROM golang:1.18.3 as toolchain
+ARG builder_image
+FROM ${builder_image} as toolchain
 
 # Run this with docker build --build_arg $(go env GOPROXY) to override the goproxy
 ARG goproxy=https://proxy.golang.org
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 470471879d..d7843fc1a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ include $(ROOT_DIR_RELATIVE)/common.mk
 # If you update this file, please follow
 # https://suva.sh/posts/well-documented-makefiles
 
+# Go
+GO_VERSION ?=1.18.3
+GO_CONTAINER_IMAGE ?= public.ecr.aws/docker/library/golang:$(GO_VERSION)
+
 # Directories.
 ARTIFACTS ?= $(REPO_ROOT)/_artifacts
 TOOLS_DIR := hack/tools
@@ -340,7 +344,7 @@ clusterawsadm: ## Build clusterawsadm binary
 
 .PHONY: docker-build
 docker-build: docker-pull-prerequisites ## Build the docker image for controller-manager
-	docker build --build-arg ARCH=$(ARCH) --build-arg LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" . -t $(CORE_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
+	docker build --build-arg ARCH=$(ARCH) --build-arg builder_image=$(GO_CONTAINER_IMAGE) --build-arg LDFLAGS="$(LDFLAGS)" . -t $(CORE_CONTROLLER_IMG)-$(ARCH):$(TAG)
 
 .PHONY: docker-build-all ## Build all the architecture docker images
 docker-build-all: $(addprefix docker-build-,$(ALL_ARCH))
@@ -373,7 +377,7 @@ generate-test-flavors: $(KUSTOMIZE)  ## Generate test template flavors
 
 .PHONY: e2e-image
 e2e-image: docker-pull-prerequisites $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/start.sh $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/restart.sh ## Build an e2e test image
-	docker build -f Dockerfile --tag="gcr.io/k8s-staging-cluster-api/capa-manager:e2e" .
+	docker build --build-arg builder_image=$(GO_CONTAINER_IMAGE) -f Dockerfile --tag="gcr.io/k8s-staging-cluster-api/capa-manager:e2e" .
 
 .PHONY: install-setup-envtest
 install-setup-envtest: # Install setup-envtest so that setup-envtest's eval is executed after the tool has been installed.
@@ -456,7 +460,7 @@ $(RELEASE_DIR):
 
 .PHONY: build-toolchain
 build-toolchain: ## Build the toolchain
-	docker build --target toolchain -t $(TOOLCHAIN_IMAGE) .
+	docker build --build-arg builder_image=$(GO_CONTAINER_IMAGE) --target toolchain -t $(TOOLCHAIN_IMAGE) .
 
 .PHONY: check-github-token
 check-github-token: ## Check if the github token is set
@@ -679,3 +683,8 @@ clean-temporary: ## Remove all temporary files and folders
 	rm -rf test/e2e/capi-kubeadm-control-plane-controller-manager
 	rm -rf test/e2e/logs
 	rm -rf test/e2e/resources
+
+##@ helpers:
+
+go-version: ## Print the go version we use to compile our binaries and images
+	@echo $(GO_VERSION)