diff --git a/ci/docker/conda-python-substrait.dockerfile b/ci/docker/conda-python-substrait.dockerfile
index 191795f253000..36dd64e51e7ad 100644
--- a/ci/docker/conda-python-substrait.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/conda-python-substrait.dockerfile
@@ -24,11 +24,19 @@ FROM ${repo}:${arch}-conda-python-${python}
 COPY ci/conda_env_python.txt \
      ci/conda_env_sphinx.txt \
      /arrow/ci/
+
+# Note: openjdk is pinned to 17 because the
+# substrait repo currently pins to jdk 17.
+# Newer jdk versions are currently failing
+# due to the recent upgrade to Gradle 8 via
+# install_substrait_consumer.sh.
+# https://github.com/substrait-io/substrait-java/issues/274
 RUN mamba install -q -y \
         --file arrow/ci/conda_env_python.txt \
         --file arrow/ci/conda_env_sphinx.txt \
         $([ "$python" == "3.9" ] && echo "pickle5") \
-        python=${python} openjdk \
+        python=${python} \
+        openjdk=17 \
         nomkl && \
     mamba clean --all