diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index daaeebc..f4b6857 100644
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ def get_entity(route: str, base_url: str = default_base_url):
     cachefile = cache_path / f"{route.strip(slashes)}.json"
     return jsongetcache.load_cached(base_url + route, cachefile)
 
-def get_latest_release(versions: Iterable[ModPackVersion]):
-    return max((version for version in versions if version["type"].lower() == "release"), key=lambda version: version["updated"])
+def get_latest_release(versions: Iterable[ModPackVersion], version_types: list[str] = ["release"]):
+    return max((version for version in versions if version["type"].lower() in version_types), key=lambda version: version["updated"], default=None)
 
+def get_version_by_id(versions: Iterable[ModPackVersion], version_id: int):
+    return next((version for version in versions if version["id"] == version_id), None)
+
+def get_version_by_name(versions: Iterable[ModPackVersion], version_name: str):
+    return next((version for version in versions if version["name"] == version_name), None)
 
 def get_modpack_route(modpack: ModPackManifest | int):
     return f"/public/modpack/{modpack if isinstance(modpack, int) else modpack['id']}"
@@ -63,27 +68,55 @@ def get_installer(modpack: ModPackManifest | int, version: ModPackVersion | int,
 def parse_arguments():
     parser = ArgumentParser("build.py", description="FTB Docker image build helper.")
     parser.add_argument("modpack", type=int, help="Modpack ID")
-    parser.add_argument("--version", "-v", type=int, help="Specific Modpack Version ID, otherwise uses the latest")
+    parser.add_argument("--version", "-v", type=str, help="Specific Modpack Version ID, otherwise uses the latest release")
     return parser.parse_args()
 
+def get_version_by_description(modpack: ModPackManifest, version_name: str | None) -> ModPackVersion | None:
+    if version_name is None:
+        return get_version_by_description(modpack, "release")
+
+    if version_name.lower() in ["alpha", "beta", "release"]:
+        return get_latest_release(modpack["versions"], version_types=[version_name.lower()])
+
+    match get_version_by_name(modpack["versions"], version_name):
+        case None:
+            pass
+        case idd_version:
+            return idd_version
+
+    try:
+        match get_version_by_id(modpack["versions"], int(version_name)):
+            case None:
+                pass
+            case idd_version:
+                return idd_version
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     args = parse_arguments()
     modpack = get_modpack_manifest(args.modpack)
     slug = get_modpack_slug(modpack)
     print("Slug", slug)
-    if args.version is None:
-        args.version = get_latest_release(modpack["versions"])["id"]
-    version = get_version_manifest(modpack, args.version)
+    selected_version = get_version_by_description(modpack, args.version)
+    if selected_version is None:
+        print(f"Available versions for: {modpack['name']}")
+        for version in modpack["versions"]:
+            print(f"- {version['type']} {version['name']} [{version['id']}]")
+        raise Exception(f"No version was found matching \"{args.version}\"")
+    version = get_version_manifest(modpack, selected_version)
     print(f"{modpack['name']} version {version['name']}: updated {datetime.fromtimestamp(version['updated'])}")
-    java_target = next((target for target in version["targets"] if target["type"] == "runtime" and target["name"] == "java"), None)
+
+    java_target = next((target for target in version["targets"] if target["type"].lower() == "runtime" and target["name"].lower() == "java"), None)
     if java_target is None:
         raise Exception(f"{modpack['name']} version {version['name']} has no java target: {' ,'.join(str(x) for x in version['targets'])}")
 
     # java_version = version_without_build(java_target["version"])
+    print(f"Required java version is version {java_target['version']}")
     java_version = java_target["version"].replace('+', '_')
-    print(f"Required java version is version {java_version}")
     # base_image = f"azul/zulu-openjdk:{java_version}-jre"
     base_image = f"eclipse-temurin:{java_version}-jre"
+    print(f"Using docker base image: {base_image}")
 
     repo = f"hub.cnml.de/{slug}"
     semver_version_tags = docker.semver_tags(version["name"])